Where The Lines Overlap
by unforciablecure
Summary: Tori and Jade are pushed together, somewhat unwillingly by Sikowitz, for an assignment. But not the normal kind of assignment that they both had hoped for. Eventual Jori. (On Hiatus! Please see my profile for message)
1. The Assignment

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 1 - The Assignment**

* * *

><p>Tori's eyes slowly flickered open, her vision growing blurry before settling into the focus of what she recognised immediately as her living room. <em>I must have fallen asleep<em>, Tori thought, rising from her uncomfortable and awkward position on the couch.

Tori ran a hand through her long, wavy hair before pressing a clammy palm to her forehead. Tori felt a temperature but oddly, she felt shivery.

Hearing rustling in the kitchen across the open plan floor, Tori turned around. Angling her head, she saw her Trina fumbling about in the kitchen.

"Hey… what time is it?" Tori asked, holding back a yawn before rubbing her sleepy eyes. She eventually gave in and yawned. Trina whipped her head up and over the counter.

"Dunno, _not_ your clock. Last time I looked it was half-five…" Trina said quickly. "That may or _may not_ have been ten minutes ago"

Tori blinked, almost startled. "H..h…half… f…f…_five_!" How could it be half five?

Choking with disbelief, she shot up from the couch.

"Yea uh" Trina drawled, looking simply over at her sister then back to her bowl she was mixing with flour.

"HALF _FIVE_?!"

"God Tori, you deaf or somethin'?"

"TRIN_A_! You were supposed to wake me up, _remember_?" Tori sighed with exasperation. "Now I'll never make the play!" She groaned. Sometimes she really hated her sister. "Did you not think of waking me up?"

"I'm _baking_!"

"Yeah I know but you said you-"

"Shhh…. I'm BAKING!"

Trina motioned to the mixing bowl with her hand and the flour which had spilled in an uneven patch all over the counter. Tori had a sinking feeling that she'd be the one cleaning up the mess later on.

Trina wiped at her face, not noticing the huge line of flour which she spread across her cheek.

"You've got a bit of-" Tori said, motioning with a gentle swipe to her face.

Trina held her hand up, silencing her sister before she got to finish.

"SHH! I'm baking!"

Tori watched as Trina flicked the switch of the electric whisk on as it buzzed with life. She was left drowning in the noise. Tori sprinted for her bag, checking to make sure her script was in it before tossing it over her shoulder and dashing out the door. After all, staying around was just wasting time. She had a play to star in!

…

"But I don't want to leave you!" Jade whined- in character - locking eyes with Robbie, who was also in character. "I c…can't leave you!" Jade choked.

"Then don't" Robbie said. They inched closer, angling their heads as their lips touched.

_Bang!_

Robbie jumped, immediately leaping back from Jade. The huge crashing sound happened again. It sounded like metal was being crushed.

"What _was _that?" Robbie whispered, forgetting he was on stage. His eyes searched Jade's face for an answer.

Jade shrugged. "Your non-existent talent being _ripped_ away?"

Suddenly, the curtain fell to the stage floor, flooding it in a sea of red. The audience began to clap out of sync.

"What was _that?!_" Robbie repeated, immediately turning to inspect the back set.

"Some bad acting, _yours _obviously and a kiss" Jade rocked her head from side to side.

"Sorry, everyone! I… I tripped!" Cat squealed before walking towards Robbie and Jade. She sounded increasingly more hyper than usual, if that was even possible.

Cat skipped out, a trail of cables in her hands.

"I… uh… I t…thought the kiss was good" Robbie continued, quietly trailing a finger across his lips.

"_What_?" Jade asked, paying little attention to Robbie as Cat dangled a set of cables in front of her eyes.

"…_Nothing_"

Sikowitz paced back and forward in front of the stage. His eyes were frantically moving as he read and re-read a script. It was crinkly with bright pink pages.

"Sikowitz!" Tori shouted, stumbling through the door and onto the stage. Her converse screeched as her soles slid across the floor. "Am I late? Is it…_over_?" Tori's eyes grew small as she realised it was. "I missed it!"

"_Late?" _Jade repeated, who Tori noticed was failing to fight off her signature smirk. "Unless this is four o'clock and I've forgotten to change my watch" Jade motioned to the hidden black watch on her wrist. She imitated Tori's voice. "_Well, it looks like you're over an hour and a half late_"

"How many _TIMES_. _I_ DON'T _TALK LIKE THAT_!"

"Tori… I sent you like ten texts" Cat added, appearing from the side of the stage. She was still dressed in her costume from the play, and had a nineteenth century hat balancing on her head. "Did you not get 'em?"

"I thought I did… wait lemme check"

Tori reached into her pocket, sliding out her pear phone. Her face knitted together in confusion. "Huh… it's off" She paused. "Wait a second… it was… on. It was on earlier when I was in class…"

"_Well would y'look at that. How does somethin' just switch itself off?" _Jade interrupted, mocking Tori's voice for the second time. She slyly smiled as Tori grimaced. If there was one way to annoy Tori Vega, it was to target her voice.

"I don't talk like a movie star from the _nineteen forties_!" Tori crossed her arms.

"_I think y' do_, _Tori Vega!_"

Tori glared at Jade, almost tripping as she took a step closer. "You did this didn't you? _Oh didn't you!_"

"I'm not gonna deny something which I obviously did" Jade held Tori's stare, smirking and turning her head to the side. "Even Cat knows it was me"

Cat shrugged. She looked at Tori in pity before saying sorry with her eyes. "It's true"

Tori pouted. "Aw, I hate everything!"

"Jade…" Cat was playing with the cables from the stage set again. "Did you tell Tori about the tic-tac you slipped in her cup at lunch?"

Jade blinked. Her eyes flew open in alarm. Cat always confessed so nonchalantly. _"Cat_!"

"Wait… _tic-tac_?" Tori added, Cat's words making no sense to her ears.

"Yeah y'know the white ones" Cat continued, nodding. "One time, my brother had like… so many of the orange and green tic-tacs that his face came out in pimples" She paused. "They were green"

"Don't care!" Jade said, trying to edge away from the conversation. Tori finally could see what Jade's plan was. It seemed to be unravelling in front of her sleep strained eyes.

"Wait a minute…" Tori began, pacing from side to side. "…That "_tic-tac_" you put in my cup was like a sleeping pill, to make me feel drowsy! That's why I feel so tired today!"

"You… _drugged_ Tori?" Robbie added, reappearing from below the stage. He sounded shocked, disgusted and impressed all at the same time.

"Way to go _Sherlock_, you solved the crime!" Jade laughed. She went to walk off before being grabbed by the shoulder. She scowled as Sikowitz led her back to her place. He was no longer reading the script.

"I don't encourage _this_ type of… of… sabotage, Jade. What you did was dangerous and selfish, and wow…. I'm beginning to sound like Lane aren't I?" Tori's look of seriousness silenced him. Sikowitz continued.

"What I'm getting from this is that you haven't let go of _Steamboat Suzy_, have you? You're still jealous of my academy award nominated, _almost_ award winning acting skills… You've done what you attempted to do last time, only this time you were successful at sabotaging the lead role and getting to be an understudy. In conclusion, you played dirty to get a role"

Jade's eyes followed Sikowitz' words as she took her time to reply. "And that's_ bad_?"

"It's bad because that's not how you go about things. First it was stealing Tori's blood, now it's switching people's phones off and drugging them"

"The latter obviously being a little more _SERIOUS_!" Tori added, folding her arms and continuing to glare at Jade.

"Yes… I'm not having you apologize to Tori-" Sikowitz folded the script in his hands.

"I'm not apologizing" Jade said, defiantly.

"…and having you then to continue to be nasty and tormented to each other. No this will be settled by an assignment"

"An… _assignment_?" Tori made a noise which sounded like a mixture between a kick in the stomach and a groan. Sikowitz' assignments usually meant something she wasn't going to like.

Cat and Robbie both looked intrigued. "Yes. An assignment" Sikowitz repeated. He stared dreamingly into the now empty rows of seats in the theatre. "What was I saying? Ah yes, an assignment"

"_Sikowitz_!" Tori sighed. "What's our assignment? Oh I know, _'Jade will spend the next month living in my house just so we can get to understand each other better'_ that kinda _"assignment"_" Tori shook her head, gritting her teeth. "I _do_ accept apologies!"

"I'm not a _charity_, I don't _give _out apologies. They're expensive" Jade glared.

"Y'know Tori, that's actually a very good suggestion. _Idea_ even… hmm… yes, that will be your assignment" Sikowitz beamed.

"What!" Jade seethed. "How can this be an _assignment_? It has nothing to do with education or the arts!"

"_But..._ it has to do with communication and that can be found in every medium. From say… English to model making, to say… milking a coconut"

"That… sounds wrong" Tori said, raising an eyebrow. "And I was joking about the assignment!"

"Well that settles it then. Sometimes the best things come from jokes"

"_But-_"

"_Enough_ Jade!" Sikowitz silenced Jade with his hand. Usually that didn't work. "Y'know I have a good feeling about this assignment. In fact, its official… its starts today"

"_Today_?!" Tori and Jade muttered in unison.

"Yes. I want you to spend every minute with each other… get to know each other's bad habits, hobbies, friends, enemies… etc… etc… Treat it like your spies for me. I want _dirt_"

"I know already who isn't my friend" Jade folded her arms. She glanced towards Cat and the set cables that were swinging from her hands. It was so tempting to just reach out and-

"Likewise" Tori challenged. She held Jade's glare.

"Well that settles it…" Sikowitz rambled. "You're "enemies" now maybe you'll be "friends" later" He paused, making speech marks with his fingers. "Ooh I love doing "this""

…

"How long is _she_ going to be here for exactly?" Trina asked, pouting and nodding towards Jade who sat with tight folded arms on the couch in the Vega household. Tori paced the kitchen beside her sister. "As if this place couldn't get any more cramped, I mean _look_ at Jade, she takes up most of the sofa!"

Jade scoffed, sending a smirk across the room. This was just what Tori needed, more arguments. "Maybe if you didn't eat all that-"

"_Trina_!" Tori was thankful she blocked out Jade's words. "This place is huge! Mom and dad are out most of the time"

"Why are they always out, _hmm_? Off to adopt some reasonably normal children after they were _mercilessly_ robbed of them in childbirth?"

"Well rather you than me, huh" Trina caved, blissfully ignoring Jade's comment before she walked towards the door. Trina grabbed some cupcakes from the counter before stuffing them in her bag.

"_Hey_! Where are you going?" Tori asked, folding her arms and wondering when she became the 'mature one'.

"Off on a date!"

"With _who_?"

"With Robbie!"

"Huh?"

Jade began to laugh. Tori looked surprised.

"What's so _surprising_?" Trina yawned, quickly. "He grew on me 'kay. And yeah, before you ask Tori, _yes_ those cupcakes are for Robbie! He likes it when I bake"

And with that, Trina was gone. Tori swore she saw her sister's face flash with crimson before disappearing as she left.

"She was blushing" Jade stated. "Who _blushes_?"

"With _Robbie_… who knew?"

Tori faced Jade, who was looking increasingly amused by the second.

"Oh the dirt I'll have when I'm done with this stupid assignment" Tori was beginning to hate Sikowitz for this assignment.

She knew this was to be expected. Jade was never going to be her friend. Well, at least not straight away. Maybe she was just in denial of their friendship. It was like when you really liked someone and gave them a Christmas card every year, but they still never learned your name. And that happened to Tori a lot.

"So do you have your stuff with you?" Tori asked, hoping her voice sounded hopeful and not frustrated like she felt.

"_Stuff_?"

"Yeah y'know supplies, pyjamas…"

"If, by supplies, you mean scissors then yes. _Plenty_"

"S…_scissors_?"

Jade nodded, a smile creeping through her smirk onto her features. "Oh… wait. Gonna frisk me again? Can't have _lil' old Tori_ being scared!"

Jade's phone beeped and she whipped out her phone as if on cue. Frantically replying, her fingers flew fast across her phone.

"Who's… that?" Tori asked, casually making sure to choose her words carefully. Jade was like a mousetrap. There was always a glimmer of hope of some kind in their friendship, a reward on the other side – just like cheese – but you had to get through the dangerous centre first before you could reach it and the odds were very much _not _in Tori's favour.

"…Beck?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

"Still in Canada?"

"Like you didn't know"

Tori sighed again. "Jade… we're meant to be talking, remember? Y'know like "friends" Hey look… I'm doing what Sikowitz was doing with his…" She glanced up at Jade, whose glare was heavy. "Uh… nevermind"

"I'm not your friend"

"You keep saying that but I don't think it's true. Remember Kenan Thompson's party? Yeah? We had fun, we _sung _together!"

"All I remember was Sikowitz ruining my witch soup"

"_Jade_"

"Okay! God, I remember 'kay. That doesn't make us friends"

"What… about in Yerba. That prisoner was like, two steps away from beating you up until I stepped in"

"Like you said, he-she was two steps away. And anyway, I like it on the ground"

"What… about when I helped you with your play last year?"

"_Help_ is an awful strong word. I prefer calling it being dictated to"

"What about when I bet those girls at _Karaoke Dokie_ for you and Cat"

"A fluke. It was Cat's idea!"

"No it wasn't! It was yours!"

"I'm gonna murder Sikowitz for this assignment!" Jade snapped. "Seeing you at school is bad enough. Having a conversation with you is _pain inducing_!" Did she really have a month of this?

Tori looked annoyed so Jade continued. "You're always rattling on, throwing out advice at every given opportunity. Ever thought that maybe people don't _want_ your advice?"

"Ugh! You're so… so…"

"_So…_ what?"

"So… ANNOYING!" Tori gasped.

"_Whoa_… there Tori. Any redder and you'll be the shade of Cat's hair"

Tori huffed before storming off towards the stairs.

"You know I'm not going anywhere?" Jade shouted watching Tori's steps disappear further up the stairs.

"_Oh_, I _know_!"

…

Jade was bored.

So bored of annoying Tori, so bored of _not_ annoying her but she didn't see how that made any sense. Tori hadn't been seen for about an hour after she had left Jade sitting alone in her living room.

Jade was adamant that she wasn't going to move but the temptation of leaving and going home to her house was growing stronger by the minute.

She wasn't going to be first to give in, though. Oh no. Jade would make herself at home; grab something from the fridge, order pizza, annoy Trina when she got back…

Anything to stop Tori from winning this assignment.

_tbc_


	2. Pizza & Poker

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 2 – Pizza & Poker**

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey<em>! Who is that? Will you get it?" Tori's voice rang from upstairs as the doorbell chimed throughout the living room.

"_So many questions_" Jade muttered ignoring Tori before abruptly giving in. She snatched the handle of the door and yanked it open.

Standing on the doorstep in front of her was a pizza delivery boy in a matching set of red shorts and a t-shirt.

"You ordered pizza?" He asked, holding out the box. Jade could smell the pepperoni wafting itself over from the box. It was calling.

"_Obviously_" Jade said, about to grab the box when she heard Tori bound down the stairs. Turning around in the direction of the noise, Jade watched as Tori's eyebrow rose slowly.

"You ordered pizza?" Tori asked, instantly smelling the pepperoni from the box. "You ordered pizza!" She repeated again, only this time with a smile.

"_Yes!_ Now pay the man" Jade replied, making sure she drew out each word.

"But _you _ordered it!"

"_Yes_ and whose house is this again?"

"Mine" Tori sighed with disappointment. "I'll get my purse"

"She'll get her purse" Jade repeated, whipping her head around to the delivery boy, pretending that he hadn't heard Tori.

A few seconds later, Tori was handing over the money at the door. Jade had taken the box from the boy and had begun munching on a slice of pepperoni.

"What? No tip?" he asked, hopeful.

"No such luck" Tori replied, coldly closing the door on his face.

"_Ouch_" Jade said, faking mock pain. "Remind me never to deliver pizza to you"

Tori scoffed. "You'd never deliver pizza to me! And anyway, you would've done the same!"

"Good point"

Jade quirked her eyebrow before placing the pizza box on the couch. Tori just stood there, staring, as the Goth took bite after bite out the slice of pepperoni.

"_What_?" Jade said, glaring and mumbling through a mouthful of pizza. She hated when people stared at her, especially Tori.

"Well… do I… not get any?" Tori chose her words carefully. "We haven't had dinner yet"

"So… _eat_" Jade made a face, nodding towards the box as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Before I change my mind"

Tori slid onto the couch; flicking open the pizza box just as Jade had done before.

"Wait… this is… this is _too_ easy!" Tori flinched, suddenly. Her eyes and voice grew suspicious. Dangling the slice of pizza, Tori inspected it with her eyes. "What've you put in it?" She prodded the slice of pizza with her finger.

"_Nothing_" Jade replied, feigning what she hoped would come across as suspicious. "I promise" she added quietly, that usual mischievous tone creeping into her voice.

"You wouldn't" Tori flicked her eyes between the pizza and Jade.

"Oh I _would_"

Before Tori could speak another word, she felt the slice of pizza slide from her hand.

Tori watched helplessly as Jade crunched the pizza with her teeth, making exaggerated '_Mm…_' sounds.

"Hey! You said-"

"No I didn't _say _anything"

"_But_-"

"I let you _believe"_

"_But-_"

"You really don't trust me, huh?" Jade smiled.

"Can you _blame _me?!"

Tori looked annoyed before grabbing a fresh slice from the box, quickly taking a bite and not saying a word.

"Can't say I do, _I_ don't even trust me"

They sat in silence, the only noise being the hungry crunch of pizza. Jade sat, her legs crossed as her smirk morphed into amusement. She glanced at Tori who was staring in to space.

"So… what's the plan?" Jade asked, hoping to break the silence. Jade hated silence, she also hated the sound of Tori's voice but she'd pick that over silence any day - although Jade would never admit that to the world.

Tori finally looked up. "The plan?"

"Yeah, the plan for tonight" Jade said, casual. Tori was surprised that she had gone a sentence without insulting her.

"Dunno" Tori chewed on the corner of her slice of pizza, tugging at the sleeves of her grey cardigan as she shifted.

"_Dunno_? God, Vega, do you ever _do _anything?"

Tori shook her head slowly, thinking.

"Well… Trina and I sometimes watch a movie, I guess. Oh, and Andre usually comes over and we hang out"

"_Exciting_"

"It sometimes is" Tori said, quietly. She let the Goth's sarcasm slide over her. "But Trina has bad taste in picking movies"

"Not in _everything _she does?"

"_Jade _could you at least try and be nice while you're here?"

"How do you expect me, _me_, the sarcastic girl that I am to suffer a month in you _and_ Trina's company without breathing a word"

Tori simply shrugged. "You could try"

"I'll do my best" Jade said, coldly.

Tori decided to let the question go for now, deciding that was the best answer she was going to get for now. "What do you do on Friday nights?"

"Plan your demise" Jade's reply was quick and rehearsed.

"_What_?!"

"You're _too easy_! Do you believe every word I breathe?"

Tori's expression faltered as she finished up the pizza. Ignoring Jade, Tori flipped open the box to see the last remaining slice of pepperoni.

"You have it" Tori chose to be kind. She was going to be spending a lot of time with Jade and she needed to make it bearable. Maybe she could bribe the Goth with pizza.

Tori slid the box across to Jade.

"No, you have it" Jade wasn't sure she could eat anymore. The pizza had tasted even better because she hadn't paid for it.

"_No_, you have it"

"I don't want it"

"Neither do I"

"What you said"

"Fine!"

"_Fine_?"

"Fine!"

"I'll have it"

"You'll have it?"

"I'll have it!" Jade said, snatching the final piece from the box.

"Ha!" Tori punched the air with the empty box, "Gotcha!"

"Got _cha_?"

"Yeah it means I got you!"

"Who even says that anymore?" Jade asked, looking confused and puzzled.

"I do"

"What's so bad about getting the last slice?"

"It isn't bad…" Tori said, her eyes narrowing. "Unless Trina thinks the last piece will always be crumbly or something. I don't know! You know what she's like"

"_Figures_"

"So back to the question, if you're not 'planning my demise' like some arch nemesis then what _do_ you do on Friday nights?"

"Arch nemesis… I like it" Jade stretched her neck. She saw Tori's brief glimpse of annoyance and sighed. "Well if I'm not with Beck, I'm hanging out with Cat at her house. Normally writing"

"Writing songs?"

Jade nodded slowly. "Or stories… ideas for plays"

"Cool" Tori paused. "Hey! We're actually having a normal conversation!"

"_Wow_" Jade fake yawned, her tone of voice dropping heavier than a lead balloon.

"See? It's not that hard"

The doorbell chimed, echoing around the room followed by a steady knock at the door.

"More… pizza?" Tori quizzed, raising an eyebrow while walking towards the door. The door was swung wide to show Cat and Andre standing frozen on the step.

"Hey… Tor" Andre greeted, smiling.

"Yay!" Cat screeched, "You're still alive!"

Flying at Tori, she nearly knocked her off her feet. "Unless you're like, a zombie? _Oh my God Tori_, you're not a Zombie are you?!"

"I'm not a zombie, Cat" Tori reassured. "I'm still very much alive!"

"Yeah… Cat thought Jade would've mur-" Andre began, take a step inside.

"Jade would've what?" Andre froze as he spotted Jade on the couch.

Andre flinched, cowering quickly behind his hand. "Ah… nothing! Don't… don't hit me!"

Andre shielded his face with his arms, only peeking out from them to see where Tori was.

"I promise nothing" Jade said, giving Andre what he read as a sinister smile.

"Uh, Cat, you're hugs are… getting more and more dangerous" Tori squeaked as Cat squeezed her tighter.

"Yay! You think my hugs are dangerous. Like, _love is powerful_!" Cat grinned.

"I guess..?"

"So… how's it going?" Cat asked, finally releasing her grip on their hug. Tori shut the door, glancing towards Andre as he shuffled on the couch away from Jade.

"Could be worse I guess" Tori concluded. "…At least you guys are here now"

"Whatcha wanna do, then?" Andre asked, as Tori and Cat joined them on the couch. "We were thinking poker"

"That's boring" Jade said, immediately. "And anyways, don't we _always _play that?"

"I like it" Cat admitted, quietly.

"Me too" Tori added.

"Ok… votes for poker… Cat, Tori, _me_… J-"

"It's boring!" Jade said. "Can't we play something; I don't know… _anything _else?"

Tori smiled at Andre and Cat. "No"

"She's brave" Andre whispered, Cat sharing his look of worry.

"_No_?" Jade repeated, surprised at the sudden confidence of the Latina.

"No. As long as you're in my house, you'll do what we want to do… or you could always… I dunno… forfeit the assignment. I'm sure Sikowitz would be happy"

Jade seethed. The determination, however, wasn't fading from her voice. "I could just leave if I wanted to"

"Go ahead"

Jade glared at Tori, thinking it over for a few moments. On the one side it would be great to escape Tori and all her annoying traits but on the other, there was no way she was going to give Tori the satisfaction of winning against her. Jade couldn't forfeit.

"_No_. I think I'll stay" The Goth smiled, one of the fakest smiles Tori had ever seen.

"_Great_" Tori sighed. It would've been too easy for Jade to just give up there and then.

Tori smiled at Andre and Cat. "Let's play poker"

…

Andre and Cat had both helped Tori set up the green felt poker table in the middle of the living room while Jade just lay- sighing loudly in frustration and annoyance- on the couch.

The game had now been going for a good hour, Jade even joining in after ten minutes of ignoring them on the couch. The competitive streak had been kicked awake inside of her, even though it never slept. Red, black and green poker chips were now scattered across the table.

Jade's phone beeped, another message obviously landing in her inbox. She ignored it, as did everyone, too wrapped up in the game. Andre was almost out, his chips down to an unhealthy low. To everyone's surprise, it was Cat who was winning the game.

"I'm out" Andre said, folding his cards in and pushing them aside. "You gotta watch little red"

Cat's normal happy-go lucky expression was now one of seriousness; she was complete enveloped in the game. Jade placed a few chips on the table, before carefully revealing her cards. Tori did the same, and then Cat. It reminded Tori of the time when they had try to stage an intervention between Cat and the _Bibble_ candy.

"Cat… you won! _Again_!" Tori erupted, sounding somewhat happy and jealous at exactly the same time.

"Yay!" Cat screeched.

Her celebration was broken by a certain Goth, who mumbled something incoherent under her breath. Cat tossed the poker chips from side to side. "Can we play strip poker now?"

"_Strip poker_?" Tori wasn't sure she had heard Cat right. "Cat… you do know what that is, right?"

Cat nodded enthusiastically. Her eyes glinted. "Uh huh"

"Um… I'm not sure, Cat"

"I don't mind…" Andre added, avoiding the glaring eyes of Jade and Tori.

"Wonder why" Jade scowled.

"Yeah, Andre… I wonder _why_"

"C'mon, guys. Let's play!" Cat squeaked.

"It's getting late you guys…" Tori began, her eyes tracing the outline of the clock.

"What're you scared of Vega?" Jade teased, locking eyes with the girl. "Do you turn into a pumpkin at midnight?"

"My parents will be back soon"

"You're parents are never here"

"She's got a point, Tor" Andre mumbled.

"Not you too, Andre!"

"Dude just wants to see a bit of skin!"

"That's disgusting" Jade said. "Al_though_ Andre does also have a point"

"Aww please, Tori" Cat whined. "Please, please, please!"

"No…" Tori's eyes flickered across to the red head's pleading ones. She caved in almost immediately. "_Fine_, we'll play"

"Yay! You won't regret it!"

Tori had a sinking feeling that she was going to.

…

"How come little reds so good at this?" Andre asked, his eyes doing an uneven shift around the table.

Tori and Jade both whipped their eyes up from their card hands. Cat was the most clothed between them, being only down to her loose purple tank top and her short shorts. Cat glanced around happily.

Andre was down to his boxer shorts and had lost his t-shirt in the last round. He shifted around uncomfortably, trying his best to cover his bare skin. Like Tori, he was also beginning to regret agreeing to play.

Jade and Tori were down to their bras, something which Cat seemed a little too excited about. Jade still had her leggings on, while Tori was down to her blue short shorts.

"I think she cheats" Jade decided, looking up suspiciously from her cards then down again.

"_What's that supposed to mean_?!" Cat erupted, defensively.

"It means… did… you… _cheat_" Jade drew out, slowly.

Cat shook her head, furiously. "I don't cheat! Not like ever! I'm not a cheater!"

"We believe you" Andre nodded, clocking a lingering glance at Tori and Jade.

"Come on, guys! Cat's not cheating!" Tori began, sighing at their distrust of their friend. She slid her cards gently down on to the table. "Show you're hand Andre…"

Andre placed his cards on to the table, revealing a King and the eight of clubs.

"Jade"

The Goth slid her cards down, a little too forcefully on the table. A Queen and a Jack, Tori's stomach sunk.

Cat revealed her cards to be an Ace and a Ten of Spades. Her eyes zoomed across to her own hand and stared weakly at the seven of Diamonds and a Jack.

That made Tori the lowest player of the round; she'd have to take off another piece.

"I hate this game" Tori muttered, bending over and slipping her socks off.

"Really?" Jade asked, a hint of amusement lacing her voice. "You couldn't have removed say, anything other than _socks_?

Tori thought Jade sounded… _disappointed_? That didn't make any sense. Tori's thoughts were broken, once again Jade's phone making a beep.

"Not gonna answer it?" Cat asked, jumping in between the stare off between the Latina and the Goth. "It's been going all night!"

"I'll answer it when I _want _to answer it"

"O-kay!" Cat nodded, simply; Jade's snapping slamming her into silence.

"Anyway this is much, _much _more fun"

"I thought you hated it" Andre added, sounding brave but looking scared.

"It's unmissable when Vega gets beat… which is all the time"

"What time's it, Tor?" Andre zoned out from the Goth's bickering.

"Ten thirty"

"Man, I better get going. My grandma locks the door at eight, and if you ring the doorbell she calls the cops! I spent the other night outside 'cause she wouldn't let me in!"

"Did you not rattle the window?!"

"I _did_, but she gets scared of that too 'cause she thinks it's burglars or a tropical storm!"

"Hey… how're you gonna get back in? If your grandma locked it like, two hours ago?"

"Not thought of that one yet"

"Burglars and tropical storms don't knock at windows" Jade said, her expression knitting together in confusion as she caught up with the conversation.

"See, I've told her that. She still doesn't believe me!"

"Huh" Tori muttered.

"The burglar that robbed our house knocked" Cat interjected.

"That was a _bailiff_!" Jade replied, looking across at the redhead.

"_Oh_"

Andre grabbed his t-shirt and jeans before slipping them back on and heading off.

"Have fun!" he shouted, walking towards the door. "And don't kill each other" he added quietly.

"I'll try!" Jade said. "I'll fail!"

Cat and Tori both said bye before the door closed to silence.

Tori yawned, the events of the day slowly catching up with her. She had spent the previous night, staying up late and learning lines… learning lines for a play that Jade had stolen the part for. Something, she was still remaining bitter about.

Cat was the mirror opposite, bouncing from side to side on her seat. Jade looked bored but amused, _if that even made any sense_ thought Tori.

"Don't you _ever _get tired?" Jade questioned, blinking as Cat pushed all the cards together. Cat glanced up to Tori, who was a blink away from closing her eyes.

"Tori does, a lot!" Cat replied, poking the Latina's side. Tori stirred, blinking.

"I am not tired. I am _not _tired!" Tori repeated, running a hand loosely through her hair. Maybe if she said it enough times, she would believe it. "Who am I kidding?" Tori sighed, "I _am _tired!" She sank her head to the table.

Jade glanced over at Tori being comforted by Cat. Her phone beeped again. This time, she pulled it out of her bag and immediately opened the text. The message was from the same person that had been texting for the past few hours, the same person who was in Canada; _Beck_.

"Guess who's home?" The front door clicked open. Cat was gently patting at Tori's head but stopped when they both glanced up. In sauntered Trina with Robbie on the tail end of her arm.

"Hopefully _not_ you" Jade groaned, tossing her phone back into her bag. Beck could wait.

"Well aren't you such a lovely person?" Trina replied, smiling.

"What a fine, young evening this is!" Robbie grinned, unhooking his arm from Trina's.

"It's _ten thirty_" Tori deadpanned.

Robbie ignored Tori, before scanning his eyes up and down her façade as she got up from the table.

"Good game of strip poker?" he asked, his eyes trailing around to Jade. "Why did I have to miss this?" Robbie added, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"_Be… cause_ you were on a date with _Trina_, my _sister_. Remember?"

Trina was in a daze, sliding across the floor towards Cat.

"You didn't tell me you were on a date with Robbie!" Cat chirped, grinning with excitement.

"Hey! Shapiro my face is up here!" Jade said, invisibly yanking Robbie's eyes up from her chest. Robbie blushed, embarrassedly turning away before taking a seat on the couch. Jade pulled her black sweater over her head and through her arms.

Tori moved across the couch towards Robbie.

"Where's my t-shirt?" Tori asked, lifting a cushion before placing it back down. "I left it there"

"No idea" Jade replied, taking a seat on the couch and shifting until she felt comfy.

"Usually when you say that it means you do"

"You have trust issues"

"_I _have trust issues?" Tori laughed lightly.

"Yes, _you_"

"Where's my shirt?" Tori whined. "I feel stupid like this!"

"I can't see why. You look like that all the time"

"It's not that bad, Tori" Robbie added, stepping between the stare off.

Tori side glared, determined not to get angry. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that" She sighed before saying "Fine" and calmly collecting herself. "I'll just go upstairs and get another one"

"Bye then" Jade grinned, smirking as she watched Tori sulk across the floor. Her eyes lingered on Tori's silhouette as she climbed the stairs.

The assignment was on.

_tbc_


	3. Around Midnight

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 3 – Around Midnight**

* * *

><p><em>11.50pm<em>

_Creak._

Tori stirred as her eyes began to slowly flicker open.

_Creak_.

Tori heard it again. Her eyes widened.

_Creak_.

The same wooden, robust sound.

Someone was downstairs and they were in her kitchen.

Lazily tossing back the duvet covers, Tori slid out her bed. She stumbled across towards the door. Her room was in darkness, her eyes painfully adjusting to the light as she tried silently to skip across the floor. It was probably just Trina going for one of her midnight snacks or sleep walking.

She hoped it wasn't the latter, having been chased around the house by her sister who was 'sleepwalking'.

It could just be her parents but she was almost sure they would still be away for the weekend and that just left one person; Jade.

Tori wasn't sure what she was going to do if it wasn't the Goth, but instinctively she grabbed the first thing she saw beside her bedside; a lamp. Tori yanked it from the socket, before flipping it upside down and holding it in a baseball bat-like way.

She tied the cord loosely around the neck of the lamp, before opening her door and heading towards the stairs.

The light was on in the kitchen, reflecting up towards the landing. Tori tightened her grip around the lamp. One step and she was on the top landing of the stairs. Her head dipped to see if it was Trina. She didn't see anyone. Tori took a few more careful steps down, turning her head to the side.

Jade's head turned slowly from the fridge to meet Tori's midway as she moved down the stairs. Tori had the lamp lifted in mid-air, swaying it like a bat.

"_You_" Tori said, her eyes growing small and accusing. "Why are you down here, Jade?"

"I forgot something" Jade shrugged, innocently.

"You forgot something in my _fridge_?" Tori sounded sceptical, noticing the Goth as she turned her head from the fridge before closing it.

"I was hungry"

Tori's eyes once again grew suspicious, raising her eyebrow and running a hand through her sleep ridden hair.

"What were you gonna do with that?" Jade asked, clocking the lamp clutched in Tori's hand. "Aww… _Did someone get a little scared?_"

"_I don't talk like that_! And… I didn't! I thought… I thought it was Trina! She sleep-walks y'know, and she's scary when she does!"

"And here I was thinking she was scary for all eternity"

"Uh-huh… so… what _were_ you doing?" Tori repeated the question again. Jade looked at Tori innocently, watching as she placed the lamp down before sitting down on the couch.

"I was hungry so I hit the fridge"

"Find anything nice?"

"Yes. _Yes I did_"

Tori ran another hand through her hair, her eyes almost flying open as they registered what the Goth was wearing.

"You're wearing your pyjamas!" Tori screeched, happily.

Jade looked embarrassed, fighting it off with instant defence. "It was either these or my clothes. I _love_ my clothes… but I don't wear them to bed"

"It's cute. They're nice on you!"

"I'll pretend you didn't say that…" Jade's voice trailed off before quickly adding darkly "If you tell anyone about this, I'll specifically _see_ to the arrangement of your termination" The seriousness in the Goth's voice made Tori gulp. Tori held her serious stare before crumpling into a nervous laugh and fake grin.

"I wouldn't do that…" Jade's stare flickered with annoyance and worry before Tori quickly added "…I _won't_!"

"…_Good_"

The room grew quiet. Jade began to play with one of the buttons on Tori's pyjamas. "Did I wake you up?"

"Kinda"

"Good"

Tori yawned. "I think I'm doomed to like, never sleep today… Think I might go back to bed"

"…Really?"

Tori gave a quick nod. "Yeah but if you want to talk I can… stay?"

"Go to bed"

Tori swept herself up from the couch before turning towards the stairs. "We can talk tomorrow, yeah? Don't stay up too late"

Jade mumbled and nodded quickly. She saw Tori give her the faintest of smiles before disappearing upstairs.

Jade heard the door of Tori's room close with a click. Stretching out her arms, Jade's eyes trailed down the pyjamas. She looked ridiculous in them.

Why did she even put them on? Was this a sign she was going soft? Her mind re-wound to the events of earlier. A few nights ago, Jade would never have imagined talking to Tori for more than ten seconds, never mind staying over at her house and wearing her _pyjamas_.

Life was unpredictable like that. Well, _Sikowitz_ was.

Digging out her phone, she decided it was time to finally reply to Beck.

…

_Earlier…_ _10.50pm_

"I'm bored" Jade announced.

"I'm _tired_!" Tori groaned. Robbie and Cat had left five minutes ago; Trina had disappeared upstairs singing (Which translated as screeching, sometimes howling) and skipping which just left Jade and herself sprawled across the couch.

Tori heard the gush of water which meant that Trina was having a shower.

"Sometimes I wish I was Trina" Tori admitted, suddenly. "She doesn't have a care in the world"

"You wish you had no talent?" Jade paused, waiting a beat. "Oh wait, _you already don't_"

"_Jade…_"

"_Tori…_" The Goth mocked in response.

Tori held the stare, determined that she was going to get through this. A month of –_ this _- Jade wasn't going to be easy.

_11.01pm_

"I could do this all night!" Jade smirked, kicking her feet up on the couch. The insults had been flying back and forth between the two of them, Jade continuously smirking and teasing Tori at any chance she got, which just so happened to be _all the time_.

"How're you guys doing?" Trina asked, ignoring what she had heard before skipping down the stairs. She was now in her pyjamas and had a sleep mask plastered across her forehead.

"Do you even _care?_" Tori asked, her tired façade a mix of annoyance and fear.

Trina didn't pick up on the sarcastic tone of her sister. "That's great! You'll be buddies in no time!"

"_Buddies_?" Jade muttered, looking pained. "Oh, I'm _sure_ we will"

"See, Tori?" Trina continued, smiling before skipping over to the fridge. She swung the door wide before grabbing a carton of orange juice.

"Hey! How come you're so… _chirpy_?" Tori asked, her voice suspicious. "Is this _Punk'd? _We're being filmed, right?" Trina turned to face her sister, immediately noticing the questioning eyebrow. Jade seemed curious too.

"Can't a girl be happy, huh?"

"But it's _you_"

"All I'm sayin' is that it has nothing to do with… with… Robbie!" Trina mumbled, slightly too defensively. "I'm going to bed!"

"Night then…" Tori voice trailed off, confused, watching as her sister stomped up the stairs for the second time. "She's acting so weird"

"She _is_ your sister"

_11.07pm_

Tori had disappeared upstairs before returning with something which Jade thought could only belong to _Tori_.

"Do you expect me to wear… _these_?" Jade asked, sounding more demanding than questioning. "I'm not wearing them"

"I'm not asking you to wear them. Wear them if you _want _to wear them!" Tori replied, clocking Jade's distaste at the pyjamas she was clawing at. "I just thought 'cause you didn't bring any stuff with you. Well, except…" Tori's voice grew quiet and she almost choked. "…_scissors_…. But these are _pyjamas_"

"They're pink and baby blue. I hate pink and baby blue"

"I think they're cute!"

"_You_ would!"

"Don't wear them then"

"I won't!" Jade stood face to face with Tori. "Where am I sleeping?"

"Spare room"

"Torture room, _nice_"

"_Spare _room" Tori corrected, biting her bottom lip sharply.

"Any room belonging to you is glorified torture"

"Sleep in the freezing basement then!"

"I'll take the spare room"

Tori smirked. "Huh, I thought you would"

_11.11pm_

"So… this is your room" Tori flicked the light switch on. "It's a bit crammed up right now. My dad likes to keep stuff in here. Like…"

Tori bent down, opening up one of the cardboard boxes. "…_Paper_"

"_Interesting_"

"And… more paper"

"Is there a _bed_?"

"Not in the _box_"

Tori closed the box before lifting it on to a small shelf. There were five of six brown boxes all stacked on top of each other. Beside the boxes, there was a desk and set of drawers. Jade looked forward to rummaging through them, maybe even as soon as Tori left the room.

The bed faced the desk and backed on to the door wall, black curtains hung beside the small window which looked out onto the back garden.

"Do you need anything else?" Tori asked, turning to face the Goth.

"A break from you"

Tori nodded, once again feeling the tiredness catching up with herself, Jade's words just slipping over her. "Yeah, I'm tired too" She began to walk towards the door. "Night"

"…_Night_" replied Jade, watching as Tori stumbled across the landing and into her own room. Jade closed the door with a faint click before smirking then sliding across the wooden floor to the desk. She was about to yank open the top drawer, before something on the bed captured her attention.

Her head whipped around to see the Tori's pyjamas slumped across the bedspread.

Jade shook her head before sighing as she looked at the pyjamas. There wasn't a lighter in sight, so she couldn't burn them. The window, Jade assumed, would be locked, so she couldn't throw them out it.

She could refuse to wear them, but even that seemed like more of an effort. Jade rolled her eyes before prodding the pyjamas with a finger. She felt infected already.

Tori pulled her covers back on her bed, feeling the heat instantly wrap itself back around her body.

Tomorrow, she hoped, would be a better day.

_tbc_


	4. Creeper Photos

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 4 – Creeper Photos**

* * *

><p>Tori awoke to stray sunlight, creeping in through the smallest gap in her window blinds. Saturday morning had never seemed so bright.<p>

Tori had been awake for about half an hour now, lying lazily and still in her bed. She had finally gotten a good sleep and was slowly finding her normal mood sliding back in to place.

Tori angled her head to her bedside. The clock read as _10.30am. _Tori sunk her head back into the pillow. She wondered if Jade would be still sleeping or if she'd be downstairs.

Tori lay on her back, staring at the ceiling before deciding to get up. Tossing back her duvet, she rolled out her bed before grabbing her phone and heading towards the door.

Across the landing, Tori could see the door to the spare room was shut tight. She crept towards the door, a motion between a skip and a run. Her hand reached for the handle, turning it gently and –hopefully- quietly.

Tori's head peaked around the door, sneaking a look through the gap. Jade was lying on her side, the covers strewn to her waist. Jade's hair was think and messy, plastered against her forehead.

Tori still couldn't believe Jade had actually gone as far as to wear her pyjamas, something she needed proof to believe of.

Tori's eyes flickered down to her left hand; her phone. She could quickly snap a photo of the evidence, _a la_ Jade in her pyjamas and the Goth would never know any better- after all she was asleep. To get a good photo, though, Tori would have to move closer. Stealthily, she pushed the door open further and slid in.

Pulling up her phone, she balanced her position then clicked. Tori watched as Jade breathed in and out, almost losing her collected calm when she saw the girl murmur in her sleep. Still lying on her side, Tori watched as the Goth twitched, stirring lightly.

Tori quickly dashed for the door, almost slamming into the stack of boxes as she did so. She closed the door and breathed out a sigh of relief, before heading back over to her room.

Tori changed into her clothes of the day, silently whisked the blinds in her room up before deciding to get some breakfast.

Downstairs, she found Trina.

"Hey… what're you doing up so early?" Tori asked, passing her sister on her way over to the fridge. "It's like ten thirty or something… you're never up this early"

"I think it's time for a lil' change, don't y'think?" Trina replied, her sister growing more suspicious by the second.

"Wait… is this to do with the Robbie thing?"

"'_The Robbie thing'_?"

Tori nodded. "Yeah… like one minute you can't stand him now you can't stand a second _without_ him"

Her sister's new found attitude was confusing Tori.

"Well, Bee R Bee gotta Gee to Gee!"

"_Hey_!" Tori called, turning to see her sister about to leave the house. "Where're you off to?" She paused, the answer hitting her right between the eyes. "Lemme guess… _Robbie's_?"

"Ciao!"

Trina grabbed her bag and was gone. Tori sighed and shook her head before dipping into the fridge. Her eyes skimmed along the shelves. Milk… eggs… orange juice… some half eaten cheese.

"_Eww_!" Tori exclaimed, her sister obviously being the culprit of the cheese. Her eyes flickered over more of the contents. Some yogurts, butter, bacon… Tori closed the fridge door, deciding that she'd have the safe option of toast.

...

"What is _THIS_?"

Tori's eyes whipped up from the table to see Jade, the Goth drawing out her words slowly and full of anger, as she stomped down the stairs. Tori noticed Jade was now dressed; she was now in a black and red check shirt with skinny jeans.

"I thought to myself quite innocently this morning _'Oh, Hey I'll go check out my slap page, to find THIS'_

Jade slammed down her phone on the table, just hard enough to make Tori jump. In front of her eyes, on the screen was the photo she had taken earlier.

"_Oh_" Tori squeaked, not sure if she should look at Jade. She looked so angry and annoyed. Not a good sight to see on a Saturday morning.

"Explain!"

"It must've uploaded automatically!"

"Oh, it _must've_"

Jade paced back and forth, internally fighting the urge to hit out at Tori. "You don't know _what_ you've done!"

"It's just a picture…"

"_Just a picture_?"

Tori gulped. "You weren't meant to see it!"

"Do you take creeper photos of _everyone_ who stays over?"

"How is it a '_creeper'_ photo?"

"I was _asleep_! You were in my room! I was in _pink and baby blue_ pyjamas! All three statements are_ creepy_"

"I didn't know it was gonna upload!" Tori defended, standing up from her seat at the table.

"I've already had Cat and Sikowitz post in the comments. If I ever got embarrassed, I'm already dead"

"But you're still aliv-"

"I'm dead inside!" Jade shouted, cutting Tori off. "The point is, everyone will have seen that and you're to blame!"

Jade picked up one of the cushions on the couch, before throwing it at Tori.

"Ow!"

Jade picked up another one, launching it again at Tori's head. Tori ducked, before picking up the other pillow and charging towards the Goth. Jade rolled across the couch, swiping another two purple cushions. Jumping up, she had one in each hand. "Ready for a ferocious beating?"

"Oh it's on" Tori breathed, pushing the hair from her eyes. Holding Jade's solid stare, she began to loosely swing the cushion from side to side. "I didn't think you'd care what other people think…" It was fighting talk. "…After all it's just a photo"

Jade moved closer, making Tori back towards the kitchen in a circular motion.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this" Jade concluded, ignoring the comment before swinging one of the cushions. Tori jumped back, the cushion lightly skimming her stomach before swinging her own and hitting Jade on the head.

"Same here!"

Jade stumbled back before shoving Tori into the fridge. She hit Tori on the head with her second cushion, hard. Tori pushed forward, grabbing Jade by the hips before pulling and half lifting her towards the couch.

"Put me down!"

"No!" Tori said, ramming Jade and herself into the couch before they both fell over. The cushions were dropped, as they both stumbled over the red couch.

Jade was now underneath, dragging Tori down to the floor. She groaned as Tori banged her head on the couch before rolling over.

Stretching out her arm, Jade hastily grabbed another purple pillow before pushing it in Tori's face. The Latina struggled beneath, finding just enough energy to roll the Goth over. She took a breath.

"You tried to smother me!" Tori gasped pushing Jade's arms above her head and pinning them down. Jade just smirked beneath her.

"How'd you like that?"

"Just _forgive_ me, Jade!"

"No!"

"It was an accident!"

"So? People get run over all the time in accidents and they aren't forgiven"

"That's totally a _different kind_ of accident!"

Jade struggled, trying her best to shift Tori's weight and loosen her grip on her wrists. Tori's wavy long hair trickled against her face, Jade motioned up towards her pinned wrists. "Let go. Now"

"Not until you let _it_ go" Tori challenged, holding the deep stare of the girl she was pinning down.

"No!"

"It's only on _The Slap_… and I can take it down"

"What's the point? It's already been broadcasted to the nation"

"Only Hollywood Arts" Tori had a tinge of hopefulness in her voice. "And it could be worse…"

"How could it be any worse?"

Jade felt the pressure on her wrists ease off as Tori let go.

"You could be naked" Tori grinned, a smile which she noticed travelled to the Goth in a strange sort of way.

"_Okay_. It could definitely be worse"

"I could still take it down if you want… I kinda don't want any more ferocious beatings"

Jade sighed, rolling her eyes before her half-smile morphed into a smirk. "If you get off of me, we'll call it quits"

It seemed too easy to Tori. Jade never let anyone off that easily. "So… we're good?"

"Maybe…"

"Maybe is good enough for me!"

Tori withdrew her hands before rolling off of Jade. Turning away, Tori didn't see the Goth gather a cushion in her right hand. Swinging the cushion with force, it collided with the back of Tori's head with a _thud_.

Tori whipped her head around so quickly, she was almost sure she had given herself whiplash. Tori's surprised and annoyed expression met Jade's immediate one of innocence.

"_What_? I said maybe"

_tbc_


	5. Sabotage

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 5 – Sabotage**

* * *

><p>"Tori! Jade!" Cat greeted, looking up at her friend's faces as Tori swung the front door wide open. "Never thought I'd meet you guys here!"<p>

Jade rolled her eyes, turning back to face the black, lifeless screen of the TV.

"It's my house, Cat. I kind of… _live_ here?" Tori replied, trying her best to not sound too insensitive. Cat just nodded, smiling before stepping inside.

"I love what you've done with the place!"

Tori raised her eyebrows, before realising that Cat was looking at the half a dozen or so cushions scattered across the floor.

"We kinda had a pillow fight" Tori bent down to pick up one of the purple cushions before placing it back on the couch.

"_Yay_! I love pillow fights!"

"It was a ferocious beating!" Jade added, her voice dampening down the energetic mood of the redhead. Tori glanced over at the Goth, noticing her smirk sliding in to its usual place.

"It _was _a ferocious beating" Tori admitted, snatching another cushion before making sure to toss it as far away from Jade's direction as she could. "What d'you guys wanna do?"

"Pillow fight!" Cat suggested, but the looks of death from both of her friends silenced her to a whimper.

"_No_" Jade drawled, sternly. "And _no_ poker"

"Oh! That reminds me…" Cat dug her hand into her off the shoulder bag, pulling out something which Tori recognised almost immediately. "…Here's your t-shirt back"

"Uh… _thanks_?" Tori lifted her t-shirt from Cat slowly. "_Wait_… why do you have this?"

"Jade said she'd give me a chocolate coin if I hid it from you!"

"_Cat!_" Jade chastised. "How many times? You weren't meant to say! Secrecy only exists if you don't _tell_ the person"

"She _did_?" Tori asked, giving her t-shirt a once over before smoothing out the creases.

Cat nodded looking confused. "Uh-huh. Was I not meant to…?"

"But you said-" Tori whipped her head around, now facing Jade. The Goth sat, unmoved, on her –now- usual place on the couch. She glanced up towards Tori as she circled the living room. It reminded Jade of a goldfish, swimming repeatedly in circles.

"See, there you go again believing every word I say" Jade smirked.

"Can I have the chocolate coin now, please?" Cat asked, raising her eyebrows cutely and giving a gentle smile. She glanced across at Jade.

"I'd like a life's subscription to coffee. Doesn't mean it's gonna happen"

"But you said-"

"It's not my fault everyone _trusts_ me"

"But… you promised!"

"I promise this… I _promise _that. I _promise_ that I don't make promises"

"You just promised!" Tori said, placing her newly re-acquired t-shirt beside the lamp turned bat from last night. The cables were still wrapped around it.

Tori turned to see Cat's disappointed face. "There's chocolate chip cookies in my cupboard if you want some"

"_Yay_! I love chocolate chip cookies!" Cat glinted, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Except… when my brother decided to replace them with-"

"_Don't_ care!" Jade interjected, making the redhead's peppy outlook falter then re-appear again, brighter.

"Here" Tori skipped towards the cupboard above the kitchen counter. She opened it up before her hand reached inside, pulling out a box of chocolate cookies. "Knock yourself out"

"I don't wanna hit me!" Cat protested, her face flashing with worry before Tori handed the box over.

"Allow me" Jade smirked as she watched Cat drown her fear with chocolate chip cookies. Tori's head whipped in panic before turning around calmly to face the redhead again.

"All I meant was _enjoy_ them" Tori added, quietly.

"So" Cat began, through a mouthful of cookies, "…You seeing Andre…" She munched on another. "…Perform today?"

"I almost forget!" Tori sat down next to Cat, "Yeah, at the open mic afternoon at _Karaoke Dokie_. Andre's been going on about this for weeks. Actually, come to think of it, last night was the first night he didn't mention it!"

"_Great_" Jade muttered, folding her arms.

"Do you have to be so _bah humbug_ all the time? We should be going to show him some support"

"If Andre wants some support, he can get belt loops"

"Look, Jade. I'm going to _Karaoke Dokie _and so is Cat" Tori spoke with new found confidence. Her voice was calm and slow. "Stay here, I'm sure Trina will be happy to see you"

Jade gritted her teeth, changing her mind suddenly. "No, I think I'll _go_"

…

"Y'know I'm glad someone else took over this place" Tori said, watching as Cat skipped towards the door of _Karaoke Dokie_, "Those girls were just mean"

"They were_ terminally_ tone deaf" Jade agreed, following Tori as they stepped in the door. Inside, they immediately saw Andre setting up his guitar and tapping at the microphone on the stand. He looked up, immediately smiling as his friends got nearer.

"I thought you were a no show" Andre said to Tori, swinging his guitar strap over his shoulder. Andre watched as Jade and Cat took a seat at a table. "Thought Jade might 'a y'know…" Andre's voice trailed over before adding darkly. "…The death threats"

Tori nodded, an ironic smile creeping in. "Oh they're still there" She glanced towards the mic and amplifier. "Need any help?"

Andre shook his head. "I'm good"

"That's great, you'll _be_ great!"

Andre's face dropped in a split second. "I'm not good, man!"

"Why?" Tori asked, her face growing full of worry.

"I've been up all night practicing this song! I was lucky enough to get home after I left your house Tor, my grandma had the lock well… _locked _then I knocked the door then she phoned the cops and I was taken in for questioning!"

"Did your grandma not notice it was you?"

"Not even in the interrogation room, man!"

"Keep calm" Tori motioned, placing a hand on Andre's shoulder. "You'll ace this. This place isn't even that busy for an afternoon"

Andre gulped, shakily nodding to Tori to turn around. Glancing around, she saw that in the space of a few minutes, the entire room was bustling with people. "I didn't even think this place was that popular"

"Help me!" Andre demanded, grabbing the bottom of Tori's top with desperation.

"What's going on with Andre?" Cat asked, looking towards the scene which was unravelling a few feet away from their table.

Jade raised her eyebrow. "Maybe he's finally snapped with her too"

"I would… but I'm so unprepared!" Tori replied, trying to ease herself from Andre's grip. "I don't even know the song you're singing!"

"When's that ever stopped you?" Andre snapped, almost knocking the mic stand over in his haste.

"I'd love to but… I kinda came here to watch you! _Support_ you, _y'know rallying up the troops_ together!"

Tori bit her lip nervously.

"Is this a group performance or…?" Tori recognised the whiny voice almost immediately. Turning around, she came face to face with Hayley- the previous owner of _Karaoke Dokie_.

"Huh? I thought you didn't own this place anymore" Tori replied, confused.

"Daddy lost it for a while… but as the saying goes '_you often find what you lose_'" She paused. "Didn't we _ban _you?"

"I've never heard that saying…" Tori mumbled, ignoring Hayley before turning her attention back to Andre.

"Hey… isn't that the _so not tight_ girl?" Cat asked, her eyes flickering between Jade and the girl standing next to Andre and Tori.

Jade nodded. "I thought she didn't own this place anymore"

"You're on in like forty seconds" Hayley, her voice full of sour spite. "Break an arm!"

"It's break a _leg_" Tori corrected, trying her best to comfort Andre.

"Well, I hope you break an _arm_"

Hayley disappeared to the side of the stage, rudely pushing past as people crowded in around tables.

"Don't listen to her; you'll be fine 'kay?"

Andre managed a smile.

"_See_? Now just keep that smile, sing the song and _rock_ this place!"

Andre nodded, muttering a worrying "_Mmm…_"

Tori moved towards Cat and Jade, joining them at the table.

"He's so nervous" Tori said, watching as Andre began to twitchingly play his guitar. His hand strummed away at the guitar pick, his eyes closed. They flickered open once more, Andre's eyes meeting everyone's in the crowd- he gulped. He strummed away once more, preparing to sing the first line.

Suddenly, a huge deafening noise of feedback ripped through out the room.

"What was _that_?"

Jade's eyes flew around to meet Tori's then Cat's. They watched in animated slow motion as Andre stumbled, yanking his guitar off his shoulder before storming off the stage.

People in the crowd were laughing and smirking. Tori grabbed Jade's arm by the sleeve before pulling her up to follow Andre. Expecting to be pushed away, Tori was surprised when Jade followed suit.

Andre kicked open the door to the gents toilets before disappearing inside. Tori and Jade came to an earth shattering halt when the door slammed shut straight in their face.

Jade watched as the door swung back and forth, the little black sign of a stick man tormenting them above their eyes.

"_C'mon_!" Tori urged, pulling Jade by the sleeve. "We've got to get Andre!"

"You've got to be kidding! I'm not stepping in… _there_!" Jade scoffed, watching as the stick man sign remained in her face.

"Please! It's just this once!"

"_No_!"

"This'll make you mad, but you're mad all the time so it won't make any difference!"

Yanking Jade again by her sleeve again, Tori pushed her roughly through the door, the Goth pressing all her weight against her. They stumbled into the bathroom, their eyes both widening in disgust.

Both girls jumped up, dusting their selves off before doing a once over. Luckily, there was no one else in except the one closed stall to the far right; Andre.

"So this is it, huh? _The other side_…" Tori glanced around.

Jade cringed. "_Ew_. You make it sound like it's-"

"Go away!" Andre shouted, his voice echoing throughout the stalls. "This is the guys' bathroom… and… and you're girls!"

"Stating the obvious much" Jade said, rolling her eyes. "We're worried, Andre, we saw what happened out there… but then again so did half the nation"

"You're _not_ helping!" Tori chastised, sighing before moving closer to the stall. Her eyes trailed around the horrible dark blue tiles of the floor. "What happened?"

Andre shook his head, "I dunno. Something killed my guitar and the mic"

"We heard" Jade added.

"But I saw you plug in, you did a sound check…" Tori's voice trailed off. "_Oh_"

"_Oh_?" Andre blurted.

Tori nodded, continuing. "_I_ have a hunch"

"Explain" Jade rested against the stall door.

"I think Hayley had something to do with it. Think about it… she disappeared behind the stage when she left us. She could've whipped out some cables behind the stage without us knowing"

"As much as it… _pains_… me to speak of it, Tori's got a point" Jade admitted. "I wouldn't put it past her" She ignored the surprised smile which emerged from the other girl. "Don't flatter yourself!"

"I can't go back out there!" Andre chewed his lips nervously, erupting into a fit of worry.

"Yes you can!" Tori encouraged.

"No he can't" Jade's voice was honest. "They'll _destroy_ him"

"Unlock the door, c'mon Andre" Tori whined, knocking at the stall.

"No" Andre rejected, "I'm not goin' back out there"

"But you have to! You wrote your own song to perform"

"You do it!"

"Andre… we've been through this… I don't know your song!"

"Then learn it!"

Jade watched as a piece of scrawny, white note paper was slid out under the bathroom stall.

"I'm not picking that up" Jade said, wrinkling her eyebrows in disgust.

Tori slowly scooped the piece of paper with the lyrics up, her eyes scanning over it. "I can't sing this! I can't do the whole _'rap ,funk thing'_ and make it cool!"

"She's got a point" Jade agreed, spying on the lyric sheet and Andre's handwriting.

"Well, whatcha gonna sing then?" Andre asked, growing more frustrated by the second. "Do you have any songs with you?"

"I don't…" Tori rambled, her voice sinking like her optimism.

"I do" Jade began slowly. "But… I don't think they're even you know… good enough"

"_Jade West_ being modest? Well, I never thought I'd see the day"

"Don't get used to it" Jade sounded abrupt, digging her hand into her shoulder bag before pulling out a black leather notepad. Tori watched as Jade flicked the pad, getting a quick blur of notes and scribbles. She stopped at a page, before tearing it out carefully from the seam.

"You better be a quick learner 'cause this is what we're singing"

…

Cat looked up from the table, as Tori's voice echoed around the microphone

. "Hey… so my friend Andre had a little stage fright, but has agreed that we could sing on his behalf…"

"Cat, you need to come with me" Jade urged, pulling her friend up by the arm and leading her through the crowds.

"But I wanted to hear you guys sing!" Cat shook her head.

"You will, but we need you to do something for us"

"Do I get a chocolate this time?"

Jade nodded slowly, moving closer to the redhead. "_Yes_. _All_ the chocolate chip cookies Tori has in her house" Jade paused, checking she had Cat's full attention. "Remember that _so not tight_ girl from last year? Well, she's cheating and cheaters need to be defeated"

"But you cheat all the time"

"Do you _want _the chocolate cookies or not?"

Cat nodded. Of course she did. "_Kay kay_!"

Jade glanced around. Her voice dropped an octave. "This is the plan…"

Tori cleared her throat, the awkwardness of the situation slowly creeping in and revealing itself to her in its fullest form.

"_Hmm_… tough crowd. So, um as I was saying… my friend Andre…" Tori sighed, skipping straight to the point. "…Jade and I will be singing a song in his place"

"Get on with it, then!" Hayley shouted, emerging from the crowd.

"Oh we _will_" Jade appeared, stepping out from behind the stage before joining Tori.

"You checked the mics?" Tori asked, turning to face the Goth.

Jade nodded. "Cat's keeping watch. I hope she does anyway" She adjusted the mic stand on the stage.

Jade scooped up Andre's electric guitar, double checking the lead was in the amplifier before giving it a quick strum. It was still tuned. She slid the strap over her shoulder.

"Ready?" Tori whispered, glancing across to the Goth.

Jade started to play, the guitar pick sliding slowly across the strings before leaning in close to one of the mic stands. Tori looked out into the crowd from the stage, where she saw that people were starting to calm down as the song began to ring out.

Tori began to sing, her voice merging in harmony with Jade's- tightening her grip on her own mic stand. For a song she had learned in a few minutes, they were doing okay. Jade was killing it on guitar; Tori didn't even know she could play and their vocals combined erupted like an explosion.

Jade studied the crowd in concentration, a few more minutes and it would be over- but she was just beginning to get into it. Remembering all her chords, her voice rang out over the buzz of guitar.

In the crowd, Tori could see Hayley standing with her arms folded, a deep scowl emerging on her face. Jade watched as a familiar blonde stood at Hayley's side; Tara. They shared a few words before Hayley stormed off to the side of the stage, disappearing through a small door.

Any moment now, the plan would work.

Backstage, Cat was hiding behind a box, remembering something which she had seen in a spy film. Looking down, she pulled out her phone clicking on to the video camera. Any moment now, the _so not tight_ girl would stumble through and she'd catch her on video. Cat quietly hummed along to the song, echoing throughout the entire room.

As if on cue, Hayley marched through the door heading towards the cables and power leads connecting the microphones and amplifiers. Her eyes traced the outline of the cables, smirking as she ducked down to yank them out.

Tori continued to sing, swaying from side to side and dancing to the beat of the guitar. Jade managed a smile, trying to immediately cover it up with a distant look.

Reaching the final notes of the song, Tori and Jade's voice echoed out throughout the room.

Cat quickly pressed record on her phone, almost jumping in nervousness as she watched Hayley pull cable after cable out. Cat's hand was shaky as she recorded the video on her phone.

Hayley felt the set of wide eyes on her, snapping her head around immediately, to meet Cat's.

"What are you doing?!" Hayley shouted, dumping the cables back on the floor. "No one's supposed to be back here!"

Cat shook her head, before stepping out from behind the box. "I wasn't videoing you if that's what you mean!" Cat paused. "We know what you did to Andre and it was _so not tight!_ It was mean!"

Hayley pouted. "What_ever_, daddy owns this place… I can do whatever I want!"

"You're too late anyway; Jade and Tori finished the song!"

"Give me the video!" Hayley added, lunging for the phone in Cat's hand.

"No! _Get off me_!"

The crowd was cheering as Tori placed the mic back on the stand, Jade sliding the guitar strap off her shoulder before placing it on the stage. Tori turned to the Goth flying at her with wide arms. "_Hug_?"

"No"

"_Please_…" Tori whined, wiggling her arms and inviting the Goth towards her.

Jade sighed, dejectedly widening her arms. She glanced away from Tori. "No longer than five seconds"

Tori grinned before throwing her arms around Jade's neck.

"I… said… no longer than five!"

Jade's voice was broken as Cat burst out through onto the stage, followed by Hayley. She looked estranged as she ran after Cat.

"Give it back!" Hayley shouted, flying after the redhead.

"It's not yours!" Cat replied, ducking in cover between Jade and Tori.

"You got it then?" Jade asked, smirking as the redhead handed over the phone.

"Just click play"

Tori reached for the microphone, pushing Hayley back as she attempted to snatch the phone from her hands.

"So… everyone, earlier when Andre was up here… there was some backstage sabotage going on" Tori nodded. "Yup, you heard me. Some _backstage sabotage_ going on backstage"

"Just get to the point" Jade was growing impatient while clicking on the video. Tori continued.

"Hayley over here… decided she'd cut the power to the stage"

"Did not!" Hayley defended.

"Did _too_!" Cat pouted.

"We've got the proof right here…" Tori nodded to Jade, who held up the phone so everyone could see. On the tiny screen, they saw Hayley stomping over to the cables.

"No one can see that it's me!" Hayley challenged, once again folding her arms.

"Anyone got a phone lead?" Jade asked, "We could connect it up to the screen up there"

Andre stepped forward from the crowd. "I do"

Pulling a cable out his pocket, he handed it over. Jade plugged it in, the video immediately flashing up on the screen on the wall.

"That doesn't prove anything!" Hayley defended.

"It's _you_" Tori rolled her eyes. "_Your_ hair, _your_ face, _your_ shoes…"

"_DADDY_!"

Jade, Tori, Cat and Andre all looked around at the same moment. Out of the crowd, emerged Hayley's dad.

"What is it, sweetie?" He asked. "Trouble again?"

Hayley nodded, quickly and spitefully. "They cheated! _Again_, and they're _banned_… remember?"

"Did not!" Tori huffed. Jade scowled.

"She's the cheater" Andre stated, nodding to the screen. "She sabotaged all my leads!"

"I think we know how to solve this" Hayley's dad said, smiling as his daughter smirked.

Two seconds later, there was a huge fuss as a group of scary looking security guards appeared through the crowds. They were all wearing the same blank, black jumpers.

"_Get off me_!" Jade raged, as two of Hayley's dad henchmen grabbed her by each arm. She fought them with strength but to no avail. Another two tackled Tori, Andre then Cat.

"_Bye_ then!" Hayley added. She waved a mean girl style wave as she watched as her rivals were thrown off the premises. "Don't come back!"

"We won't!" Jade challenged, groaning and attempting a kick as she was escorted out.

People in the crowd watched with great joy as one by one- in line- Jade, Tori, Andre then Cat were thrown out.

"My guitar!" Andre groaned, as he was shoved out the door and dumped with his friends. "Give it back, man!"

A second later, Andre's red guitar was dumped on his head.

"Ow! Not the head, man, not the head!"

"Y'know I think we should start out own rival _Karaoke Dokie_" Tori said, pulling herself up from the ground before dusting herself off. Jade lay with her back against the side of the street, rubbing the side of her arm.

"We'd make a killing" Andre glowed.

"We'd… _kill_ people?" Cat asked, eyes widening in fright.

"Only if it's that monster in there" Jade flexed her wrist. "She needs slaying"

"Need a hand?" Tori asked, glancing down towards the Goth.

"_No_" Jade replied, attempting to get up. She failed. "Yes"

"Ha!" Tori grabbed Jade's hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Never speak of this"

"Where d'you wanna go now?" Andre asked, picking up his guitar and making sure Cat was okay.

"My house?" Tori offered, "I think Trina will still be out"

"You're place it is" Andre held his guitar tight in his hands. "I wanna start our own _Karaoke Dokie_"

_tbc_


	6. Cat

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 6 - Cat**

* * *

><p>"I can't believe that just happened!" Tori huffed, folding her arms crossly as she watched her friends wander around her living room. "We were thrown out! <em>Thrown <em>out!" she paused. "I feel so rock star"

"I used to love _Karaoke Dokie_" Andre added, his anger growing as he loosely strummed his guitar as he sat sprawled across the couch. "Now I hate it!"

"Me too!" Cat agreed, looking cross. "They cheated!"

"How can they always get away with it?" Tori asked, raising her eyebrows and looking for an answer. "It's so unfair"

"Because they're bitc-" Jade's voice trailed off, her attention caught in mid-air. "Wait, a minute. If I" she paused, sighing slightly as she forcefully corrected herself. "_We- _theoretically- started our own rival- and _much_ better – _Karaoke Dokie_… we could run it our way, and make it fair"

"That was my idea!" Tori watched as Jade shrugged.

"_Yes_ it was"

"You _admit_ it?"

"What_ever_" Jade rolled her eyes. Can we move on?"

"So… we start our own club" Andre replied, breaking up the staring contest between the Goth and Tori. "But… where?"

"I know" Tori ran a hand through her hair, finally tearing her eyes away from Jade's. "In school, there's a _ton _of space… like, empty halls. We could ask Sikowitz, I'm sure he'd let us"

Jade groaned. "_Oh great_, pull in the wack-job"

"Or… any of you could volunteer _your_ house?" Tori suggested, looking deliberately at Jade.

"Sikowitz it is"

"Great… we'll ask him on Monday"

Tori walked towards her kitchen, jumping up on one of counters. She sat, swinging her legs from side to side. "We're not letting them get away with this"

"I declare revenge" Jade pouted, her voice trailing over every syllable of the word- her eyes lighting up at the mere mention of revenge. "I volunteer my scissors"

"Y'know for once… I'm with Jade. We're bringing _Karaoke Dokie_ down"

"_Down _down?" Andre asked, his eyes flicking up from his guitar.

"So far down… there gonna be swimmin' with the fishes" Tori paused. Maybe Jade was right. Sometimes she did sound like a movie star from the nineteen forties.

"I'd prefer if they drowned" Jade was invisibly filing her nails with her other hand. She glanced up towards Tori. "_Then_ be eaten by a shark. Twice over"

"I don't like sharks!" Cat said, looking worriedly between her friends. "They're scary and they eat people!"

"Hey, everyone!" Trina greeted, skipping in to the living room from the front door.

"_Hey_" Jade replied, with as little enthusiasm as she could muster. She watched as Robbie appeared at the door before slowly stepping inside. "Where's the puppet?"

"His name is Rex" Robbie chastised, shaking his head. "And he's at the spa"

"_At the spa_? _Getting a manicure_?"

Robbie nodded, pretending to ignore Jade's sarcasm. "_Yes_ and a pedicure"

"And no one thinks that's… I dunno… _a little weird_?"

"_Hush hush_, Jade" Trina shook her head, skipping around the room. "Leave Robbie alone!"

Jade looked offended. Sensing the anger bubbling away, Tori jumped beside the Goth.

"Hey… everyone _be_ nice!" Tori said, taking a step back as Jade glanced at her annoyed and surprised.

"Tell that to _her_" Jade muttered, feigning offence.

"So… where've you guys been?"

Trina skipped over to Robbie, grabbing his hand.

"We were at the mall" Robbie couldn't help but smile, his eyes travelling down to his hand as Trina held it. He would never get used to it.

"And I got a new pair of shoes!" Trina squealed with excitement, tugging at Robbie's hand to bring the bags over.

"Another pair?" Tori asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. _Duh_, I need to introduce you to a little thing called the _sale_"

Robbie struggled as he carried the bags across the living room, placing them on the couch beside Jade.

"I don't want them near me" Jade muttered, casting disapproving eyes over the shoes which Trina pulled out of a shoebox.

"Our house, _our_ rules!" Trina glowed, watching as Robbie dumped the bags in a heap just below where Jade was sitting.

"How many did you buy?" Tori cast a curious eye as one by one, new pairs of shoes were pulled out of their boxes.

"I dunno… Robbie bought them for me"

"He _did_?"

Robbie shakily nodded, whispering "My entire college fund…"

"They're hideous" Jade added, folding her arms and turning her attention towards Cat.

"I gotta go guys, grandma emergency…" Andre said, zoning out from the conversations between his friends.

"_Again_?" Tori flickered with worry. "What's it this time?"

"Well, she's just text me… and she doesn't know_ how_ to text, so I'm worried"

"I hope she's okay"

"Thanks… I do too, Tor. See you later"

Andre said bye before grabbing his guitar and dashing for the door. Cat was playing with her red hair, twirling it loosely around her fingers.

"C'mon Robbie, help me take these beauties upstairs!" Trina tugged on Robbie's arm again. Robbie smiled, before grabbing the bags and stumbling towards the stairs. Trina skipped up the stairs, disappearing in front of Robbie as he struggled to catch up with her.

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" Robbie gasped, tripping over the top step and landing with a thud on the landing.

"Well, put some_ back_ into it!" Tori heard Trina yell, just imagining her sister's bossy face and expression. "_Lift_!"

"So… what d'you wanna do?" Tori asked, turning her attention to Cat and Jade. The Goth just shrugged, Cat mirroring her response.

"C'mon… we need to do something!"

"I feel like singing" Cat announced, smiling. "Or eating. Or Singing _and_ eating!"

"I don't" Jade brought the conversation down again.

"I might go see what Robbie and Trina are up to. I wanna see her shoes!" Cat slid from the couch.

"Um… are you sure you _want_ to?" Tori asked, choosing her words carefully.

Cat nodded. "Uh-huh! They make such a cute couple!"

Before Tori or Jade could say another word, Cat had skipped up the stairs.

"Good luck" Jade muttered, her tone of voice not quite matching the words she had spoken. She watched as her friend climbed up the stairs.

Tori glanced across to Jade, before turning her attention to the oak coloured piano in her living room. Getting up from the couch, she slid across the floor before taking a seat on the stool next to the piano.

"Oh, great time to go all _Elton John_" Jade quipped, looking uninterested as usual. "What's next '_Don't go breaking my heart?'_"

Tori scoffed, looking mildly amused. Jade's eyes flickered to floor then back up again. She rolled her eyes before sighing. "This is where I'm _meant_ to ask a reasonably '_nice_' question isn't it?"

Tori nodded, her eyes scanning across the piano keys. "You could try"

Jade rolled her eyes at how pathetic she sounded before sighing once again. "How long have you been playing?"

Tori's expression softened, a slight smile sliding into place. "A few years"

Jade snapped. "Well… _play_ something then"

Tori's fingers circled the keys of the piano before trailing across them in a slow rhythm. She stopped, turning her head to the right as Jade appeared beside the piano.

"Play that again"

Jade instructed Tori with her eyes, holding an intense gaze.

"It's… _nothing_" Tori replied modestly, tearing her eyes away from the Goth's. She carefully tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ears.

"Play it again" Jade reinforced, once more locking eyes with the other girl. Tori sighed quietly, her fingers lightly skimming across the piano keys. She once again stopped the tune abruptly.

It annoyed Jade that Tori kept stopping and starting. She raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you so nervous? You're not playing to the entire school"

"Yeah… I know…" Tori replied, her eyes quickly flickering up from the piano then back again. "…But I'm playing to you"

"Oh, so _I_ make you nervous?"

Jade made it sound like it was some kind of achievement. Tori wrinkled her eyebrows, before glancing down. "I guess you do"

"_Yes_. Now I can add that to my list of achievements"

"There's a list?"

Jade smirked. "Of course" She let her fingers ghost across the pine wood of the piano. "But seriously…" Jade sounded… _genuine_? "…It's a nice piece"

"_Nice_? I thought you didn't use that word"

"I _don't_" Jade paused, waiting for Tori's reaction. "Unless it's something I really like"

Tori's eyebrows rose, laughing nervously and short. "Oh so you _really _like it?"

"Don't push it"

Jade inched closer to the piano, placing her right hand on the top of it. Tori's fingers skimmed the same keys once again, picking up the tune she had been playing. Jade closed her eyes, tapping her finger against the piano.

Tori's fingers trailed over the keys, the pitch getting higher then lower. Jade's eyes flickered open.

"_I like your smile" _Tori's eyes whipped up from the piano, her fingers still keeping the steady beat of the tune, as Jade began to sing. "_But even introductions need to last awhile_"

The piano keys harmonised with Jade's voice. Tori concentrated hard to not miss a key because when Jade was singing, all her attention magnetised to her voice.

"_Sometimes I don't know if I'm right or wrong_… _in the end it seems like everything is worse when you're gone_"

The piano hum trailed off as Jade's voice reduced to a whisper. Tori leaned back on the stool.

"Wow" she whispered. "Just _wow_"

Jade gave a short nervous laugh, turning her back on Tori and the piano before easing a few steps away. She was oddly out of character. "You like it?"

Tori nodded, "Your voice is captivating… like, _stop a crowded room in its tracks_ kind of captivating"

"…Thanks"

"No… I'm serious" Tori reinforced, flicking her eyes up from the piano keys to the Goth then back again. "Your voice has this vintage-ness feel to it. I love it"

"_Great_, so you think I sound old?"

"That's not what I meant! I meant-" Tori went to correct herself. Jade didn't seem bothered, though, even cracking in to a small smile. "Oh so it's funny now" Tori laughed, "I guess it is!"

Suddenly Jade ceased her laughter and smiles, draining the lightness of the conversation. "Are you laughing at me?" Her expression grew serious, the Goth's tone of voice matching her expression in unison. "We can't have that"

Tori watched as Jade folded her arms, muffling a small gulp which came out too loudly.

"I wasn't laughing at you! A second ago you were… were laughing too!"

Tori trembled, sliding back from the piano on the stool. Jade was so confusing.

"You'll… _see_" Jade's voice a raspy mix of mystery and threat. The Goth's serious and threatening façade faded in a blink of an eye, emerging into what looked as a reasonably calm expression. Tori blinked, staring across at the other girl.

"Can we do something else now?"

"Do you wanna sing again?" Tori suggested.

"Sing… _what_?"

"I… dunno… _wait._ What about that book you had with you at _Karaoke Dokie_. The one you take everywhere with you?"

"My _songbook_"

"Yeah, the one that looks like a notepad"

"It's a _songbook_"

"Okay, your _songbook_"

"_No_"

"Aww… why not?" Tori whined, her voice blurring into desperation.

"It's private!"

"Please…"

"For my eyes only. You get the spiel"

"But we could perform together! I could play and sing, and you could take the lead"

"Well, colour me surprised. It's not like you to _share_ the limelight" Jade added, raising her eyebrow and somewhat judging Tori. "Usually it's you casting a shadow on everyone else"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I mean" Jade paused. "Quit sounding like Cat"

"C'mon, it'll give us something to do… you _are _stuck here for the forcible future"

"Quit reminding me"

"So… we'll have to pass the time somehow" Tori continued on, not letting Jade bring her down. She watched as Jade went quiet and looked on hopeful. "C'mon…"

Jade remained silent as she motionlessly glided across the living room towards the couch. She reached across, pulling up her bag before digging inside it. Pulling out her black notepad from her off the shoulder bag, her grip wavered on it before sliding the book out.

Tori stepped up from the piano, skipping down towards the couch. She went to take a seat beside the Goth.

Jade flicked the book open, the pages passing Tori's line of sight in a blurred motion.

"Paper… isn't it amazing?" Jade said, glancing over some of the pages. "_And it's all in this little book, huh_"

"How many times! _I don't talk like that_!"

"You just did!"

"Did _not_!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

In one swift, quick move- which Jade didn't see coming- Tori whipped the book from her grip. Jade lunged forward in an attempt to snatch the book back but Tori jumped to the side. She quickly flicked open to the middle pages, her eyes hurriedly scanning across Goth's scribbles and sketches.

"Don't read that! I'll burn your eyes!"

"_Nice_" Tori quipped, still holding the book and dashing around the living room. Jade circled the Latina, trying with all her might to snatch the book back. "You write a lot"

"_GIVE IT BACK_!"

"No" Tori said simply, jumping up on the couch. She towered over Jade. The Goth glared up at her from below.

"_No_?"

Tori shook her head, looking quite confident about the situation. She risked another glance over the lyrics scrawled in the notepad.

"_Give it back_ before I do something I don't regret!"

Jade made another attempt to grab the book back, jumping up towards the Latina but Tori moved to the side and she missed.

"I give you ten, no _five_ seconds to hand it over before I get my _scissors_! And that's me being kind!"

Jade watched from below as Tori's face flashed with worry before she slowly composed herself.

"…Go ahead"

"_One_…" Jade began, her voice threatening. She began another staring contest with Tori. "_Two_…"

Tori dropped her gaze from the book, lingering between it and Jade.

"_Three…_"

"You wouldn't"

"Oh _I would_. _Four…_"

Tori gulped.

"…_five_"

Jade narrowed her eyes, holding the steady gaze. She fought off the urge to blink.

Tori's grip wavered on the book just like Jade's had a few moments ago. She wasn't about to hand it over any time soon. The Goth always had the upper hand and Tori was always fighting for it. Now she had it, would she let it go?

"Times up!" Jade shouted, getting more uneasy on her feet. "_Scissors_"

"Look I'll give it back…" Tori genuinely looked like she meant every word.

"I'm waiting"

"…Just not… _yet_!"

Tori's eyes skimmed quickly across the pages a few more times before meeting Jade's. She swayed delicately on the couch before steading herself.

"Give it back now!"

"That's an interesting son-"

Tori's voice was interrupted as she felt her balance fall from her feet. Jade, it seemed, had grabbed at her ankles and pulled her down.

Tori's head hit the top of the couch while her fall was softened by the cushions scattered across the seat. Jade smirked, reaching across to snatch the book but Tori rolled off the couch at just the right moment.

Upstairs, Trina was riffling through her new shoe collection. Cat was prodding at a pair with her hands, while Robbie sat on the edge of the bed watching Trina.

"What was _that_?" Robbie asked raising his eyebrow as a huge crash came from downstairs, followed shortly by another crash then a thud.

"_Robbie_! What have I told you about your attention span! Focus on these! _Focus on the shoes_" Trina commanded, looking up from the boxes.

Cat looked blankly, humming a song before placing the shoes back in their box. "I think I'll go see what their up to"

"'Kay" Trina replied, not bothering to look up. "Grab a fruit juice while you're down there, will you?"

"But I'm not thirsty"

"Well _I_ am" Trina yawned. "Now hurry along!"

Cat slipped out of Trina's room before skipping down the stairs. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw Jade and Tori. Cat almost stumbled down the stairs in the process.

Tori's hair was a mess of loose, wavy strands in her face as Jade followed her around the living room.

"Why are you guys fighting?" Cat asked, looking worriedly between her two friends. "I hate when you guys fight!"

Jade dashed after Tori, grabbing her leg and casually pulling her back. Both girls ignored the redhead, too wrapped up in escaping on another.

"Let me… _go_!" Tori squealed, trying to fight off the Goth's grip on her jean leg. She held the book close to her chest with all her strength.

"No!" Jade shot back, pulling and sliding Tori back across the floor. She groaned angrily.

Tori pushed with all her strength against the Goth, before the book flew from her hands. Jade watched in animated slow motion as the book landed with a thud a few steps away from Cat's feet. The redhead gently bent down and scooped it up.

Jade dusted herself off before scowling at Tori. "Give it to me, Cat"

"No" Cat replied, looking up from the book to her two fighting friends. "Not until you guys make up or something!"

"Cat… you could give it to me" Tori played, sliding up to her friend. "I could give you more chocolate chips…"

"She's trying to bribe you!" Jade could up her one. "I offer pizza _and _cookies!"

Cat let the sentence brush over her for a few seconds. "Pizza _and_ cookies?"

"No!" Tori protested. "I'll give you anything you want… my entire fridge… just don't give Jade that book back!"

"_Uh_! This is so confusing! I feel so… so… _betrayed_!" Cat groaned, her eyebrows moving in confusion. She glanced between her two friends.

"I'll be taking the book now…" Jade reached out for her notebook.

"Nu-uh" Cat said, shaking her head quickly and hiding the book behind her back.

"Do you want a _ferocious_ beating too?"

"Don't… Don't hit me!" Cat's eyes flashed with worry. "You're… you're being mean!"

"Isn't she just?" Tori added, nodding in agreement with Cat.

"You both are!"

"_Both_?" Tori mumbled.

"To each other!"

Jade sighed, rolling her eyes. "This can go one or two ways. _One_, you give me the book and you'll live to surf _skystore_ another day. _Two_, you give me the book and you may or may not survive the ferocious beating which is about to happen"

"Wait… what was the first one again?"

"Cat!" Tori said, "She's just trying to trick you to get out of this!"

"I'm not" Jade mocked with fake innocence. "Someone _is_ going to get a ferocious beating… and it isn't going to be me!"

"If you want it… step closer" Cat proposed, waving the book with her right hand. On cue, Jade took a step forward, closely followed by Tori. They both shared confused glances, now standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Put your hands out"

"Why, Cat?" Tori asked, growing more confused and suspicious.

"Just do it" Cat smiled.

"No!" Jade protested.

"Just _DO IT_!" Cat shouted.

"_Sheesh_… you don't have to be so demanding" The Goth mumbled quietly, sounding somewhat offended. She had never heard Cat be so annoyed.

Jade slowly raised her left hand out, mirroring Tori's right hand.

"I'll put the book in between…" Cat continued, her cute smile flickering back into its place. "Now close your eyes"

Tori glanced to Jade, confused.

"Why do we-" Tori was silenced as Jade roughly elbowed her in the side. "_Ow_"

Tori sighed before slowly closing her eyes. Jade did the same.

Cat dropped the book to the floor in one quick move before pulling something shiny out her pocket. "No peaking"

"I don't see why we have t-"

Tori's eyes flew open as she felt something cold and metallic clip around her wrist on her right hand. Jade yanked her left hand, finding her wrist somehow connected to Tori's.

"_Great_" Jade sounded like she was about to erupt in anger.

"_Cat_! You _handcuffed_ us together!" Tori pulled her wrist against Jade's. "Where did you even _get_ these?"

"_Don't_ do that!" Jade complained, yanking her wrist in the other direction.

"I can see that Tori" Cat giggled, looking between her two angry friends. "With my _two_ eyes!"

"_Really_? I thought you only had one" Jade muttered, trying to slip the metallic cuff off her left wrist. "Now, let us out of these!"

"No!" Cat giggled again before skipping off with the book in her hand.

"Where are you going?" Tori asked, pulling Jade around as she watched the redhead skip towards the door.

"For ice cream! Yay!"

Jade and Tori watched helplessly as Cat sped through the front door, closing it gently as she left.

_tbc_


	7. Handcuffed

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 7 - Handcuffed**

* * *

><p>"Cat! You can't just <em>leave<em>!" Tori shouted, making an attempt to follow her friend. In the process of marching towards the door, she had completely forgotten that the Goth's left wrist was now handcuffed to her right.

"Don't _do_ that!" Jade yelled, her eyes glazing over their joined wrists. She glared across at Tori.

"Do _what_?" Tori challenged back, knowing quite well what she was doing. Her expression morphed into a smirk. "Oh you mean _this_?"

Pulling at the handcuffs, Jade's wrist, followed by her arm, was catapulted closer to Tori's. Jade stumbled on her feet.

"_Yes_, _THAT!_"

Jade yanked her own wrist back in the opposite direction, this time it was Tori who stumbled a few steps to the side. Tori pulled back, almost slipping off her balance as she yanked back in the opposite direction.

"Can… we… not do that!"

"You started it!"

Tori flickered with confusion before softening as the tugging from the other girl slowly faded away. Tori made a face. "I think you broke my wrist!"

"Instead of you know, _standing around_, shouldn't we _DO_ something about this?"

Jade motioned to the handcuffs, lifting her arm to give it a shake. "I'm finding it increasingly hard to be _this_ close to you"

"…_Thanks_. I can always count on you to make me feel better"

"Hey… what's goin'-" Trina's eyes collided with Tori's then slid reluctantly towards Jade's. "Are you _handcuffed_ together?" Trina skipped down the stairs, turning around to see Robbie appear on the landing.

"_Why, no we aren't_" Jade mocked, the fakest smile appearing on her lips. "_I just decided to slap these on for fun_"

"_I don't talk like that!" _Tori face flashed with annoyance.

"I would say Jade's interpretation of your voice is steadily accurate" Robbie added, following Trina down the final steps of the stairs.

"Ugh! You're not meant to _agree_ with her! It's not 'steadily accurate!'"

"Well, I _never_ thought I'd see the day when I agreed with Shapiro" Jade's voice trailed off. Her eyes zoomed to her side once again to the handcuff on her left wrist and her smile faltered.

"So… like, tell me again why you're both seemingly attached together? Not that I _care_ or anything. Loose another dare?" Trina asked, raising her eyebrow at her sister and the Goth.

"Cat" Tori mumbled, "We were fighting and she sort of-"

"She gets the picture!" Jade shouted, "That little _monster_ decided to put these on us!"

"This is all so amusing" Robbie added, a grin forming on his lips.

Jade's head whipped around, a solid glare emitting from her face. "I know what _is_ amusing… and it rhymes with _rain_!"

Robbie gulped, pushing his glasses up from the crook of his nose. "I hope you mean Spain"

"_Pain_!"

Jade's harsh tone of voice made Robbie almost fall from the couch. He shook his head, muttering thankful words to himself that the Goth was attached to Tori's wrist and not his.

"Why didn't ya just go after Cat? She'll have the key" Trina said, looking between the two of them. Tori stared blankly at Jade, the Goth mirroring her expression. "_Oh come on_, you didn't think of that? Am I the smart one, now?"

"I'd say you were a genius but… that might be pushing it a bit" Tori rushed her words, turning to face Jade. "Cat said she was going for ice-cream…"

"_Well_, that narrows it down"

Tori ignored the sarcasm in Jade's voice before an idea formed in her head.

"Robbie… you have Cat's number… _right_?"

He nodded. "Of course"

"Well, give her a call… be nice, ask her about her da-"

"…_Then we'll ask what she's having for dinner tonight_. Ask Cat _where_ she is!" Jade instructed, giving a slight tug to Tori's wrist.

"Uh… sure I could do that" Robbie looked distant, a thought hitting him straight between the eyes. "_Oh_ you want me to do that now?"

"No, tomorrow!" Tori groaned. Her patience was grating. "Of course, we want you to do it now!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm getting my phone!"

Trina balanced on the side of the couch, marvelling at the pair of new shoes she was wearing. Jade rolled her eyes. It had only been a few days and the craziness of the Vega household was beginning to sink solemnly in.

Tori tugged at Jade's wrist, nodding towards the couch. "Wanna… sit?" she asked, her legs growing stiff and her wrist tingling.

"I'd rather stand"

"…You see this is kind of a two person thing" Tori replied, speaking every word slowly and precisely. "I move… _you_ have to move… I want to move, _you_ have to move"

"Well, I don't like it" Jade tried and failed to fold her arms. She wouldn't be able to cross her arms as long as she was handcuffed to Tori and that annoyed her.

Jade rolled her eyes with emphasised drama, before mimicking the Latina's words. "I don't want to move, so _you_ won't move"

"So it's gonna be like that, huh?"

"…I guess _it_ is"

"Will you two, _SHUSH_? Huh, Robbie's talkin' to Cat!" Trina interrupted in one of her shout-whispers. "_Shush!_"

"You _shush_" Jade groaned.

"Yes… yes…" Robbie nodded, holding his phone to his ear. "Cat, you've told me that one about your brother. _Yes_, I know about the unicorn _and_ the magician…"

Tori's eyebrows rose, wondering what Cat was rambling on about and if she wanted to know or not.

"Put her on speaker!" Tori suggested, desperation and urgency flooding her voice.

Trina nodded towards Robbie, motioning for him to do so. His fingers clicked at the speaker. He stretched out his hand with his phone.

"Ok, Cat… you're on speaker" Robbie continued. "…So what I was gonna ask you is that…" His voice trailed off. Jade was fighting the urge to jump right into the conversation and talk some sense into the redhead and Robbie.

"Well… _go on_" Tori whispered, urging Robbie to continue with her eyes.

"_One time my brother- ooh the ice cream is here!" _Cat's voice echoed throughout Robbie's phone in Tori's living room.

"Cat!" Robbie's voice interrupted.

"_Uh-huh?_"

"Tori and Jade are trying to find you!"

"Uh! You weren't supposed to _tell her_!" Tori shouted.

"_Tori?_" Cat's voice echoed around the room.

Tori had the sudden feeling as if a torch had been shone on her in the dark, and she had been caught spying.

Jade glared at Robbie. "_Shapiro_!"

"_Jade?_"

"What I was saying about pain…"

"Leave Robbie alone!"

"_Trina?_" Cat paused. "_Yay! I'm on, like, speaker phone!"_

"I said that, Cat" Robbie added.

"Where are you, Cat?" Tori asked, trying to channel out her mumbling friends.

"_It's big and shiny, and there's like a red couch and the ceiling is-_"

"_Ugh_! Where _ARE_ you as in _LOCATION_?" Jade muttered, interrupting the conversation once again.

"_Location? Huh? High-cation hehe!_"

"_Yes. Location…_" Jade drawled, slowly.

"Don't do it Cat!" Robbie said quickly, almost as if he was running out of breath. "They're just trying to trick you to get the key for the handcuffs!"

"_Robbie!_" Tori groaned.

"_Key?_" Cat's voice echoed. "_What key?_"

"Please…" Tori sighed, taking a small breath. "Please, please, _please_ tell me you have it in your pocket"

"_Key? In my pocket?_"

"DO. YOU. _HAVE THE KEY_?" Jade shouted down the phone, slowly and loudly. Robbie's hand shook and he almost lost the grip on his phone.

"_I don't have the key"_

"Cat!"

"_But I don't!_"

"Right… let me get this straight, Cat" Tori began, trying to arrange her thoughts and words together. "You have handcuffs but you don't have the key? _Why don't you have the key_?!"

"And why were you carrying them?" Jade asked, genuinely intrigued.

"_You carry scissors, I carry handcuffs_"

"But _why_?"

"_Why do you carry scissors?_"

"I have my…_ reasons_"

"_I like handcuffs. They're very hand-cuffy_"

"This isn't helping!" Tori said. "How're we supposed to get out of these?"

"_Out of what? I can't see anything_"

"The handcuffs!"

"_Oh_, _them_"

"Yes, _them!_"

"_I'm so sorry, Tor… I don't have it!_"

"You don't… have it?" Jade asked, struggling to get the words out. She could just picture Cat sitting in a café, clueless and confused as she held her ice cream with her innocent eyes.

"_Nu-uh_"

"I'll _nu-uh_ you!"

Cat squealed in shock. "_Don't take my ice cream!_"

"I'll take _everything_!"

"Jade! This _isn't _helping either!" Tori attempted to lift her hands to her head but then she remembered the handcuffs. "We'll need to get them sawn off or something"

"Sounds… _interesting_"

"Of all the people to get handcuffed to… you two somehow ended up together. It's hilarious!" Trina laughed, clapping her hands together in one swift motion. "I wonder who'll snap first!"

"I'll show you _hilarious_"

Tori glanced to Jade, sharing an unspoken look of annoyance about Trina.

"Chill, Jade… you can't exactly chase me around! You two are attached by the…" Trina grinned, patting a hand on Robbie's shoulder. "Wait for it… _wrist_!"

Robbie shared the chuckle, his eyes flickering towards his phone.

"_What's hilarious?_" Cat's voice echoed around the room.

"Cat…" Tori whined, ignoring her question. "Do you _really _have no keys for these?"

"_For what?_"

Tori scoffed, shaking her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The handcuffs!"

"_I don't…_"

"What're we gonna do?"

"I guess you'll just have to be stuck to each other for a few days" Trina stated, looking unusually serious. "At least 'till Mom and Dad get back"

"A _few more days_!" Jade scoffed, "I can't stand another _minute_ never mind days!"

"But Mom and Dad are never here!" Tori continued, her eyes struggling to find a focus point as she swayed from side to side.

"_I gotta go guys, my ice cream is melting! See you soon, I'll be round later_" Cat's voice once again echoing around the room.

"Okay… Cat" Tori replied, quietly. "Look for it!"

"Find. The. _Key_. Cat!" Jade added, her voice sounding agitated and demanding.

"_Kay kay!_"

There was a click and Cat's voice disappeared at the end of line.

…

"This isn't really going to work, is it?" Tori balanced awkwardly on her feet at the landing at the top of her stairs. They were both facing the bathroom door.

Jade glanced between the handcuffs and Tori, her sarcasm seeping itself through to her features. "You don't say"

"It's just that I really need to go…"

"_Ew_"

"_What_? It's the truth!"

"So? Just 'cause it's the truth doesn't mean you have to tell it" Jade replied, once again forgetting she couldn't fold her arms. She tried to cover up her mistake by pretending to stretch out her free arm.

"_Jade_…" Tori whined, giving a small tug at her wrist.

"Don't do that!"

"Do _what_?"

"The whiny voice!"

"I don't have a whiny voice!"

"_Denial_…" Jade sang, drawing the words out.

"_Please_! Just… I don't know… close your eyes!"

Jade sighed, her arm growing heavy as Tori slid into the bathroom. "This is so _ew _worthy that you could fill a book with it all and call it _ew_"

"Well, that's _original_" Tori quipped back. They slipped further into the bathroom and Tori closed the door with a hefty push. "Have you thought about getting it published?"

"I'm working on it!" Jade replied, defensively. "I do know that the first chapter is gonna be called '_awkward'_. The last one is gonna be titled '_What happens when you fall on scissors'_"

Tori now understood what people meant when the said 'they could've died of embarrassment' because right in that moment, she was almost sure her heart had stopped.

…

"Robbie!" Trina shouted, her voice echoing throughout the living room. "Let's go!"

Robbie finally appeared stumbling down the stairs. "Sorry, I kinda got lost… your house is like a maze"

"Well, _hurry_ up then!"

Trina pulled her bag across her shoulder, her eyebrows rising as they forced Robbie across the living room.

"I booked the table for five thirty… It's only… uh…" His heart dropped as his eyes collided with the time on his watch. "…_five thirty_"

"Hurry along then!"

Trina grabbed his hand making marching him towards the door.

"You don't think they'll find out, do you?" Robbie asked, his voice dropping an octave in worry.

"Puh-_lease_. This plan is like me; it's flawless"

…

"Trina?" Tori called, her eyes searching the living room.

"Looks like _sister sister_ has ran off with a really poor Clark Kent" Jade's voice broke through Tori's thoughts.

"Y'know… for a whole full second I had forgotten you were there" Tori lied, hoping that the Goth couldn't see through her poker face. Jade pushed at the Latina's back and Tori stumbled forward missing the bottom step.

"_Whoops_. Did I do that?" Jade feigned surprise, pretending to look over her shoulder. "I thought I wasn't here"

Tori glared, her fall having been fractured in a split second by Jade's wrist slowly pulling her up.

"You're welcome" Jade smirked, her eyes flickering up from the floor to Tori's. "Y'know… I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy this month more than I'd thought"

Tori gulped. The threat lacing the Goth's voice was deafening and Tori made a mental note to hide all the scissors slash sharp objects from her in the house.

As soon as the handcuffs were off, she would set her plan in to motion and sweep the house of scissors.

"Me… too" Tori replied, once again lying. She forced a smile, painting a grin on her face. Jade mirrored her expression. Her smile looked somewhat unnatural to Tori, and in a way it was; Jade rarely smiled and when she did it was normally about something cruel and it normally involved Tori.

"Dinner?" Tori asked, innocently pulling Jade across the floor into the kitchen.

"What can I say…" Jade's eyes widened. "I'm _ravished_"

Tori pulled open the fridge door, ignoring the Goth's tone. "Hmm… what to have"

Their eyes glossed across the empty fridge. The top shelf was so empty, that Tori's eyes stung with the strength of the fridge light. Her eyes flickered to the middle shelf then to the bottom drawers. All that remained was a half-empty carton of orange juice and milk.

"Looks like it's a five course meal for us tonight"

"Do you always have to be so sarcastic?" Tori asked, shaking her head as she felt the Goth shift beside her. "I haven't had time to go to the grocery store"

"Don't you _have_ a Mom and Dad for that?"

Jade studied the Latina, waiting for a reaction. Tori closed the fridge with more force than she had intended to.

"I meant to go yesterday. I guess I just forgot with everything that went down"

Tori motioned towards the couch, judging if it was safe to walk with the Goth. She thought of her Mom and Dad. "They're rarely here these days"

"Well if they are, they're invisible"

"They've been fighting" Tori admitted quickly, her eyes avoiding the Goth's. She wasn't sure she could take another insult or sarcastic reply. "Like, more than usual..."

"That's _normal_"

"Is it?" Tori replied, her face full of worry. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears with her free hand.

"They're parents, that's their full time job"

"It's not…" Tori shook her head. "I've already said too much"

"You probably have"

"There are some frozen pizzas in the freezer. We could have one of them?" Tori asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her parents.

"Is that all you eat? Your one slice of pepperoni short of _becoming_ a pizza"

"Fine. We'll go out… find a restaurant"

"Like _this_?" Jade asked, raising her hand and glaring at their joined wrists. "We look like escaped convicts straight off the plane from Yerba"

"C'mon! It'll be an adventure"

"_Adventure_? The last time you said that we got _arrested_ in Yerba. Well, _you_ did"

"_Yeah_…" Tori admitted, her eyes growing distant.

"What_ever_. I'm too hungry to argue"

…

"Look, we're just going to have to walk super close to each other…" Tori muttered as they turned a corner in the street.

"Have you only _just_ worked that out?" Jade replied, sliding closer to Tori's side. Her left hand brushed across Tori's.

"Let's go inside and see if we can get a table"

"If I say no…"

Tori roughly tugged on her wrist, cutting off the Goth's words. Jade groaned. If she kicked up enough fuss, maybe the restaurant manager would throw them out. Jade glared through the restaurant window at the people smiling and laughing. She hated the place already.

"Of all the places you could've chosen, why… _here_?

"What? It's cosy" Tori replied, her eyes flickering around the restaurant. Her eyes came to rest on an empty table. "Let's sit over there"

_tbc_


	8. Being Bad Feels Good

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 8 – Being Bad Feels Good**

* * *

><p>"What? It's cosy!" Tori replied, her eyes flickering around the restaurant. Her eyes came to rest on an empty booth and table. "Let's sit over there"<p>

"Yes, _let's_" The Goth mocked, a scowl emerging on her face.

Tori marched over to the table, Jade trailing closely by her side. Tori felt her stomach groan in hunger.

Jade clocked a waiter, struggling to balance four glasses on a silver tray. Her eyes lit up with the hope that the waiter would drop them and that they would crash dramatically to the floor.

Tori tugged her wrist and she reluctantly moved closer to the table. The Goth slid awkwardly into the booth across from Tori. "Wouldn't it be better if we sat _next_ to each other?" Tori asked, grimacing as her right hand stretched across the black felt table cover.

"I chose this seat, so this is where I'll sit"

Jade's eyes flickered over the cheap leather of the seat. It felt cold and worn. She sat down, trying her best to look comfortable with her left hand connected to Tori's across the table.

"Could you make this anymore awkward?" Tori sighed, her eyebrow rising and a hint of disappointment lacing her voice. "I know you're _Jade_ and everything-"

"That's good 'cause that's _exactly_ who I am"

Tori shook her head before continuing. "…But I really want us to _be_ friends! Just try, for at least a second"

"I did, remember? I wore your stupid, tweeny pyjamas! The one of you took a creeper photo of? Now it's floating in the _deep black hole_ of cyberspace"

If the handcuffs had of been removed from the situation, Jade would've folded her arms and sent a smirk. Instead she rolled her eyes with emphasised drama. "Who knew you had it in you"

Tori's searching eyes finally found a focus point on Jade's annoyed expression. Her eyes moved to the Goth's more serious eyes. "So… you're complimenting my _creeper_ skills" Tori's forehead creased. "I guess that's a… _step_"

"Well? What else do you want?" Jade's voice was pained, just like her face. "No- wait a minute- I don't _actually_ care"

"It's nice to know that you're… so brutal with your honesty"

"_Thank you_"

Tori gave a small shake of her head again; only in Jade's eyes could that have been misconstrued as a compliment. "Maybe we should… order?"

Jade grumbled. "Do they have something; I don't know _anything_ other than pizza?"

"I thought you liked pizza?"

"You've put me off it"

"Why?"

"I said you've put me off it!" Jade repeated. Her voice was a shade more annoyed than before.

…

"It's a nice place, isn't it?" Robbie asked, his eyes travelling across the table to Trina who peeked her head up from reading the menu.

"It'll do" Trina mumbled, her eyes scanning down the menu at a pace which Robbie couldn't keep up with. "I think we'll get pizza?"

"Sure. Anything you say" Robbie smiled.

"Pepperoni?"

"Only the best for the best"

"_Aw_… you're too cute!" Trina placed the menu down, turning her head to look for a waiter. "Hey… _Luigi_!" Trina shouted, making Robbie jump slightly. "We demand to order!"

The waiter stumbled over to the table at once.

"Hey… isn't that Tori and Jade?" Robbie nodded over Trina's shoulder.

"Shh… Le' me order!" Trina ran a hand through her hair.

"What can I get you?" The waiter asked, tearing a new page on his order notebook. He looked between Trina and Robbie.

"Pepperoni Pizza, please. Large" Robbie replied.

"Hey! I said I would order!" Trina protested. "Luigi wanted to hear _my_ voice"

The waiter looked confused. "My name's not Luigi"

"Puh-_lease_, you're Italian you've got to be a Luigi"

"Trina… isn't that a little… I _dunno_… stereotypical?" Robbie added quietly.

"Luigi, just get us some pizza, 'kay?" Trina rolled her eyes. "Seriously, the service in here _sucks_. I'll be givin' this place five stars on _RateMySuckishRestaurant_ dot com"

'Luigi' sighed before sulking off towards the kitchen. Robbie was pretty sure he heard him muttering something under his breath. He shook his head, after all this _was_ Trina.

"It _is_ Tori and Jade" Robbie concluded, staring dreamingly over Trina's shoulder towards the booth where they were sat. Trina turned her head ever so slightly to see her sister and the Goth engaged it what looked like another argument.

"Should we go say hello?"

"_No_" Trina replied, "The less they, like, find out about this the _better_. Please keep this…" She leant forward across the table, pulling Robbie's face closer by his black tie. Trina connected their lips together. "…Closed"

"_Mhmm_…" Robbie nodded enthusiastically. "Keep this closed. Gotcha"

"Good"

…

Eight and a half arguments later (or so Tori had counted) they had finally settled on something to eat. They had ordered from the menu and the waiter had been and gone, returning quickly with their dish, _suspiciously_ quick if you asked Tori and Jade.

Five minutes later, all doubts about their order faded as they realised just how hungry they were.

Jade grumbled as she forced herself to eat another slice of pizza, staring across at Tori with a look of complete and utter death.

"_Now_, _now_…" Tori said, giving her head a teasing shake at the look of disapproval on the Goth's face. "Enjoy your pizza"

"Yeah, 'cause I haven't had one of these in for_ever_"

"Y'know I'm starting to like this"

Tori finished a bite from her pizza.

"My sarcastic demeanour?" Jade paused. "You practically have pizza every night. You probably _bleed_ pepperoni"

Tori shook her head, choosing her words carefully. "Not the pizza. I meant being here" She paused, wondering briefly how her words would go down. "With you"

"It's not by choice"

"I _know_ that" Tori said, carefully. "It's just we're hanging out and it's… fun"

"I could think of many other words to describe this _painful_ and _traumatic_ experience that begin with a _F_ but _fun_ isn't one of them"

"You're so nice, aren't you?"

"Brutal honesty, remember?"

Tori sighed, remembering their earlier conversation.

It was beginning to feel like she was going in circles with Jade; always beginning at a loss and ending at a loss. Almost like the time she had been climbing the climb wall at a charity event at Hollywood Arts, the harness slung securely around her waist, making her way slowly up to the middle just for her to lose her grip and balance.

It took her just over five attempts to finally reach the top and she hated heights. She could still see Jade's eyes staring up at her from the ground, the Goth having reached the top half an hour before Tori did.

Tori wasn't going to give up.

…

"Luigi!" Trina shouted, trying her best to capture the waiter's attention by banging the knives and forks repeatedly on the table. "We ordered half an hour ago!"

"Shhh!" Robbie interrupted, catching her attention and her voice went quiet. "You'll have us thrown out of here"

"It wouldn't be the first time"

"Wait. _What_?"

"Nothin'" Trina resumed her shouting. "_Luigi_!"

Jade looked up from the table and the booth they sat in. Something about that voice seemed… familiar. Tori's eyes widened as her head turned to see a crowd gathering in the main corner of the restaurant.

"…But I don't _want_ to leave!" She heard a voice say. "We're hungry! Hun_gry_, starving, _famished_! Give us our meal!"

"_Trina_?" Tori muttered, slightly as if it was a statement not a question. Jade's eyebrow rose as her eyes studied Robbie. He was fighting and failing to calm his girlfriend down.

"Your meal is on it's way. Calm down, we don't appreciate you abusing our staff!" Said a manager, his arms folded and his face cross. "Only I get to do that"

"Well tell Luigi, to hurry up about it then!"

"His name is _not_ Luigi! It's Mario!"

"He always was the favourite" Robbie mumbled, trying to make light conversation.

"Maybe we should go…" Tori's voice trailed off in to the distance, wondering if she should actually go over and say something to her sister. "On second thought… Nah, never mind"

"Yo, Mario gets us some pizza over here!" The manager shouted, twisting his head around to the kitchen door. "Hurry up or I'll hit you with that spatula again!" Two seconds later, as if on cue, Mario stormed through the kitchen door balancing a large plate of pizza. He made his way over to their table.

"Compliments of the chef" Mario muttered with no enthusiasm whatsoever. "_Enjoy_"

"Trina!" Tori called, tilting her head towards her sister and Robbie. "Hey!"

"Don't-" Jade began in protest but her words were cut short. Tori tugged at her wrist and she was pulled forcefully from the booth. She grumbled, as her feet were forced to move at a quick pace to keep up with Tori.

"Hey! Trina, what was _that_ all about?" Tori asked, moving closer to their table across the floor.

"They weren't supposed to _see_ us!" Trina protested, through a mouthful of pizza to Robbie. "This is all _your_ fault!"

"Hey what did I do?!" Robbie hit back.

"Um… I'm kinda over here" Tori waved, trying to capture their attention.

"_We're _over here" Jade corrected her.

"So… can you uh leave now?" Trina asked, her eyes flickering up innocently from the table. "This is kinda a date"

Robbie nodded, supporting Trina's words.

"Uh sure… fine" Tori stood awkwardly, turning to face Jade.

The Goth shrugged her shoulders. "I shudder to think what would happen if you two-"

"Hey!" Trina scoffed, grabbing another slice of pizza. "Like, _you're_ one to talk. How's the _murderous_ clown plays comin' along?"

Tori felt Jade step closer to her sister, instinctively sliding in front of the Goth.

"_Woah_!" Tori interrupted the almost showdown. "Looks like it's time for more pizza at our table!" She smiled, the fakest grin trying her best to cut the tension. Robbie sat sipping his drink.

Jade glared at Trina, seething as Tori dragged her back across the restaurant floor to their table.

"Why did you have to do that?" The Goth began angrily, "Your sister gets away with everything, all the time"

"I know" Tori admitted. "I _live_ with her"

"You're not standing up _for_ her? Looks like someone might've grown up" She paused. "_A bit_"

Tori shook her head slowly. "I'm tired of always being there for her"

The both slid back into their booth.

"So why did you stop me?"

"_Because_" Tori began slowly, finding an ironic smile and light tone in her voice._ "_I didn't want a showdown in the middle of this place!"

"So you agree that I would've beaten her?"

"Ferociously"

"Good, 'cause I would've. Would. _Will_"

"I don't know if you're joking or not"

"Scary, isn't it?"

Tori had to agree, it was scary. "You're so unpredictable, like _push a car down a hill_ kind of unpredictable"

"_Nice_"

"You know what I mean, right?" Tori rolled her eyes. "I talk so much cr-"

"That you do but weirdly enough, I know what you're saying. Sometimes it's nice though, y'know the unpredictability part"

"You can be anyone you want" Tori agreed.

"So… who do you wanna be?"

"_Me_?"

"Do you see me looking at anyone else?" Jade grumbled, impatiently.

"I don't know…."

"Oh come on, everyone does"

Tori shook her head, the conversation having taken a deeper context. "I just want… to be me"

"Really? Not anyone else? God, you're _so_ predictable"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There you go being Cat again"

"No, what did you really mean by that?"

"That everything you do is so… I don't know, _regimented_" Jade paused. "When was the last time you did something reckless? Something that made you break the rules"

Tori searched her mind, her eyes moving from side to side. Jade studied the other girl carefully. "There isn't one, right?"

"Well there have been a few, like little things…"

"Oh, like_ what_?"

"I stole cheese from the fridge"

"You _stole cheese from the fridge_ Congrad-a-lations"

Tori watched as Jade began to laugh. "_Hey_! It's not that funny!"

"Actually, it _kinda_ is"

"Well… I hid all the popcorn from Trina last week. That counts as sabotage, right?"

"These are all so reckless; I'm actually having to _pinch_ myself from the total overdose of reckless-ness" Jade was always smart with her sarcasm.

The Goth's reply was dry. Tori was beginning to feel embarrassed.

"Well what counts for 'reckless' for you?" Tori shook her head, staring down at the handcuffs joining their wrists together.

Jade smirked, obviously about to own the question. "I set fire to Beck's RV"

"No way!" Tori guffawed, not believing one word.

"_Yes_, way. Beck may not know it… _yet_"

"I bet Beck _loves_ you"

Tori shut her eyes, feeling she had overstepped her mark. The subject of Beck had been a sore subject for the past few days. After a few seconds, her eyes flickered open to see the Goth staring down at the cold plate of remaining pizza. "Somethin' wrong?"

"We broke up" Jade confirmed, her eyes reconnecting to Tori's for the first time.

"You guys are always breaking up though…" Tori's voice was hopeful and serene.

"Not this time" Jade shook her head. Ironically, she smiled. "It feels good though"

"_Good_?" Tori spluttered, not believing this was the same Jade she was talking to five minutes ago.

"There was no spark… no _unpredictability_"

"So that's who was texting you the other night"

"You are _such_ a creeper" Jade stated, sighing through a slight smile. "It was Beck"

"I'm sorry…" Tori scoffed, searching Jade's expression for a clue as to what she wanted to hear. "I don't know what to say"

"Well, that's a first"

Tori laughed, turning her head as a waiter passed. Jade sipped her glass, finishing off the final sips of her drink.

"Can we have the bill please?" Tori asked, recognising the waiter from the showdown from earlier with Trina. He smiled briefly before disappearing through the door to the kitchens.

"Thanks…" Jade mumbled, "…For tonight" Her eyes flew around the restaurant ceiling then back to Tori.

"_Jade West_ saying thank you? Pinch me please" Tori wiggled her eyebrows, grinning.

"Don't get used to it" Jade snapped. "It's only post break-up happiness"

"Here it is" The waiter said handing over a white slip to Tori. "You just pay at the counter over there"

"Thanks"

The waiter disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Looks like _Cruella Deville_ and _Clark Kent_ have set sail" Jade nodded towards the now empty table where Trina and Robbie had been sitting. "Just how much stuff did they _order_" The Goth's eyes widened as they saw stack after stack of plates and empty glasses.

Tori eyes were glued to the white slip of the bill.

Jade caved. "What's wrong?"

Tori shook her head, sliding the bill across to the Goth in silence. Jade's eyes widened as she saw the black ink of the bill and the final price. _$90.65. _

"How do you even get this amount? This is ridiculous!"

Tori agreed, her eyes skimming down the list of food orders. _Large Pepperoni Pizza x2_, _Lemonade x4_, _Cola x3_, _Funky Nut Blast Ice Cream, Caviar… _the list went on and on.

"We didn't even _order _half this stuff!"

"_Caviar_… I only know one person who likes Caviar and he left this restaurant under ten minutes ago!" Jade fumed. "_Funky Nut Blast_, who even _likes _that flavour"

"They must've told that waiter guy that we were with them. They probably even seen us going over to their table!"

"I told you not to go see them" Jade shook her head. "_Now_ do I have your permission to give your sister a _ferocious beating_?"

"Y'know what, I think you do!"

"_Yes_"

"I don't have enough to pay this…" Tori began, her eyes wavering around worriedly. She was beginning to feel more and more like a criminal each second, and the handcuffs weren't helping either. All that was missing was the cell and the orange jumpsuits from back in Yerba.

"I have like, nothing on me either" Jade admitted. "I left my bag at your house. Not that I was going to pay, anyway"

"I'm so going to get them back for this"

"You know how earlier, I was inducting you into my great plan of unpredictability? Well, this is about as unpredictable as it gets"

Tori's face flickered with confusion. "What?"

"Just follow me. Don't say anything, don't _do_ anything" Jade instructed. "And that means no waving your hands in the air and saying '_Hey my name's Tori and I'm not paying this ridiculous bill_'"

Tori nodded slowly. "I still don't know what you're on about"

Jade sighed. "In about ten seconds, we're going to slide out from here and leave without paying"

"_Without_ paying?"

"God, you're slow!"

"I think I could-"

"_Shh_... Let me break this down for you" Jade paused, shifting slightly in her seat. "We're not paying. _You're_ not paying, _I'm _not paying. We're going to walk out that door as normal. Now just follow my cue, 'kay?"

Tori gulped but nodded.

Jade collected the bill with her right hand and motioned for Tori to stand up. They slid from the booth, Jade making confident leading strides as she tugged at Tori's handcuffed wrist. "Don't make this obvious"

Lacing together her fingers with Tori's, Jade slipped her left hand in to Tori's right one. The handcuffs were much less noticeable now as their handhold blended together.

Looking around the restaurant, Tori saw that nearly everyone was too engrossed in conversation or their food to notice. They hovered across towards the door. Tori heard the kitchen door burst open, Mario the waiter stormed through. She clasped Jade's hand tighter and the Goth took this as a sign to…

"_Run_!" Jade pushed open the door in haste, kicking it open wide. She pulled Tori into a fast jog. They rounded the corner, almost hitting in to a large dumpster on the street.

"Keep running!" Tori mumbled, breathlessly as they ran hand in hand further down the block. "Where did you park, again?"

"Down there!"

Jade fished for her car key in her pocket, letting go of Tori's hand. She nudged her side. Tori was pushed inside.

…

Three blocks away, Tori finally found her voice to speak again.

"I can't believe that just happened" Jade quickly glanced to the side then back to the road as Tori continued. "This is pretty unpredictable"

"I told you it was gonna be" Jade's smile glinted along with the reflection of the sun in the front mirror.

"It's been fun! Can you imagine the look on that guy's face when he has to tell his manager they've been robbed of like ninety dollars worth of food? Priceless"

"The _food_ was priceless"

"I still can't believe we ran outta there!"

"Hey blame your sister for that" Jade drove carefully. "Speaking of _Cruella_, when will get our revenge on her?"

"We'll have to plan it first"

Jade glanced to Tori in the passenger's seat. "Being bad feels pretty good. Huh?"

And it did.

_tbc_


	9. The Lost Key

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 9 – The Lost Key**

* * *

><p>Jade eased her car to a standstill in front of Tori's house, flicking the hand break down before sliding the key out of the ignition. Turning her head to the side, she watched as Tori stretched her neck to peek out the side window.<p>

"They're not here, are they?" Jade asked, her eyebrow rising at the subject of Trina and Robbie.

"I don't think so…" Tori glanced towards the Goth, blinking as her eyes travelled down the length of the street.

"You underestimate their stupidity" Jade rolled her eyes, nodding to Tori's front door. The red door swung ajar, looking as if it had been pushed open.

"Let's get this over with"

Jade slid awkwardly from the car, followed closely by Tori. "I swear if Cat doesn't find the key to these things, I'm going to do something involving scissors and her red hair"

Jade pushed on, picking up a fast pace as they both strolled towards the front door. All was quiet, until Tori spoke up. Much to Jade's annoyance.

"This is like one of those horror films where all the creepy music starts playing"

"That's the best part" Jade replied, tugging on Tori's wrist impatiently. Jade blinked as she watched the streetlight across the road hum and flicker. "It gets even better when all the _blood _and _gore _splatter across the screen"

Tori shook her head, biting her bottom lip nervously. They crept up the driveway, watching as the red door swung back and forwards.

Tori glanced around, trying to shake the fear out her voice. "When did my house turn into a creepy manor?"

"The day you moved in" Jade's voice was gruff and she shook her head.

"_Hey_! I'm not that creepy!" Tori protested, scoffing. "_I'm_ not the one writing about clowns who don't have a parachute"

Jade stopped walking, causing Tori to bump into her back. "Did you just _insult_ my play? Did you even _see_ it?"

Tori gulped with a black and white flash of the play in the back of her mind. "I remember it well" Tori shuddered. "They're still scrubbing the fake blood off the stage"

She watched as the Goth's expression morphed into a smirk. "Everybody _thinks_ it was fake…"

"I _think_… I don't need to know anymore"

"Then you'll never know about the clown"

"I don't think I even _want_ to know about the clown!"

Nearing the door, Tori watched as Jade carefully pushed the door with her free hand, ever so gently.

"You're not scared, are you?" Tori whispered, her voice bouncing off the silence of the house. She hoped her voice didn't betray the fear she felt.

"_Scared_? _Me_, _scared_?"

"It's just you seemed a little… I don't know, _shaky_"

Tori recoiled at her own words, watching in silent awe as the Goth drank them in. "I can't believe Robbie would let Trina do that"

Jade rolled her eyes. "Nice _save_. Changing the conversation, much?"

"Yep…" she gave a simple shrug of her shoulders. "_I'm_ quite scared though…" Tori nodded, unsure if she was referring to the Goth or the eerie silence of her house.

"_You_ would be"

Tori peeked over Jade's shoulder and into her house. Their eyes scanned across the living room.

"Everything's… _fine?" _Tori was confused. "Then… why was my door open?"

Jade's eyes flew around the room suspiciously. Everything was there; the piano, the couch, the sofa… _everything_.

"Maybe you were robbed but then they saw the hideous furniture and decided to hit up _anyone else's_ house in the next available neighbourhood"

"_Thank you_ for your interesting and valuable input" Tori tugged on Jade's wrist. "You can sleep on the couch tonight"

"You're welcome" Jade replied dryly. It took a few seconds for Tori's words to catch on. "_What_?"

"You heard me" Tori smirked, "You can sleep on the couch tonight"

"I think you're forgetting something…" Jade smiled slyly, her eyes shooting down to their joined wrists. She raised her half of the handcuffs. "_These_"

Tori sighed, quietly. "Well you're lucky these are on 'cause you would have _so_ have been on the couch tonight"

Their conversation was broken as a _crash_ came from upstairs. Tori's eyes flew open. "_Trina!_"

Jade was dragged painfully by the wrist, muttering and grumbling as Tori jogged up the stairs. Almost stumbling, Tori caught her balance before kicking open Trina's bedroom door.

Jade's eyes grew small- as if in pain - as they glossed over the pink wallpaper over the Trina's bedroom walls.

On every section of the wall, were pictures of Trina; smiling and posing. Jade lost count of how many they were.

"This is disgusting" The Goth concluded, rolling her eyes. "There's like fifty mirrors in here too. Talk about being vain. I think she broke that mirror a long time ago"

Tori nodded in agreement, her eyes flying around the room. "_Oh_ that's nothing. In her other room, there's a massive mirror on the ceiling just so Trina can look at herself when she lies down"

"She has _two_ rooms?"

Tori ignored the question, her eyes colliding with the window. It was open, a cold breeze blowing through. "Someone was here"

"_Someone_... being Trina? Y'know, can't sing, can't act… no talent?"

"I don't think she'd climb through the window… look…" Tori motioned for Jade to move closer to the windowsill. Looking down, her eyes observed some plant pots that looked as if they had fallen over. The plants had a converse shaped footprint stamped into them.

Jade's voice fluttered with realisation. "…Robbie"

Tori nodded, "There's _no_ _way_ Trina would climb through there in _heels_"

"So… Shapiro was here" Jade groaned, shrugging her shoulders as she leant back from the window with ease. "I'm bored now"

"Yeah… I guess we solved it"

"It wasn't _that _difficult"

Tori opened her mouth to reply but her voice hitched in her throat as footsteps echoed from downstairs. A distinctive voice bounced off the walls.

"_God_! I ask Robbie to grab one thing for me-"

"_Trina_" Tori's voice was quiet, a whisper.

"So she's back… I hear re_venge_ calling" Jade's eyes flashed to the door.

"No…"

"_No_? Ten minutes ago you were planning her demise"

"…_and_ we still will, but I really _really_ don't want to be found in her room. Trina probably doesn't even _know_ we're here!"

"_Please_, she would've seen my car parked out front"

"This _is_ Trina we're talking about right?"

Tori's words were hurried. Tugging on Jade's handcuffed wrist, she urged her back towards the bed in the middle of the floor. "We need to hide!"

"This is so stu-" Jade's words were cut short as Tori roughly shoved her hand over her mouth. Her eyes flew up in alarm and she glared.

"I ask him to get me one thing, _one_ thing and he gets me the wrong _thing_!" Trina's voice was closer now, echoing as her footsteps creaked closer up the stairs.

Jade's voice was muffled as she groaned through Tori's hand. Her eyes glared as she watched Tori's hand slowly slide back from her face. Tori raised a slow _shh_ sign with her fingers. "We need to _hide_!"

"I'm not scared of her"

"_Shh!_"

"Well-"

Tori bent to the cold wooden floor at the bottom of the bed. Jade's eyebrow's rose. "Oh _hell n_o"

"It's either this or _be caught_!" Tori hissed back, dragging the Goth's wrist down to be level with her own. Jade groaned as she bumped her head on the base of the bed. She crawled awkwardly underneath following Tori. They both slid along the wooden floor as closely as the handcuffs would let them.

Tori's voice hitched in her throat as Trina's noisy footsteps kicked in the door. "He doesn't even know the right shoes! I said _red_ with the _gold _strap, not gold with the red strap!"

Tori watched as Jade shook her head, muttering something under her breath. They lay uncomfortably face down on the floor, trying to steady their breathing in the dark.

Trina, however, seemed to be too preoccupied with her shoes to even notice.

"_Geez_… He climbed through the window! Ugh! Tori isn't even here! Neither is _Amy Lee_"

'_Amy Lee, _seriously_?_' Jade mouthed, breathing against a strand of her loose hair. She lightly blew at the dust on the floor. Tori's eyes widened in alarm, obviously a sign that she wanted the Goth not to speak and for their location to stay hidden.

Jade just smirked, opening her mouth in mock slow motion. Tori slammed her free hand across her mouth, muffling her speech before it began.

Trina shook her head in drama, rolling her eyes and scoffing before storming towards her closet.

Tori's eyes flew open as she felt Jade's teeth on her hand.

"You _bit_ me!" Tori hissed, whispering as she recoiled in pain. She hoped Trina hadn't heard her.

"_Really_? I was eating air and your hand just _happened_ to be in the way" Jade replied back, simply.

"_Eating_ air?"

"_Yes_"

"Enjoy it?"

"Obviously"

Their conversation was stopped by the sudden slam of the closet door in the room. Both their eyes wavered as they watched Trina's shoes step closer towards the bed.

Jade was finding the temptation to shout out- speak, _do anything_-more difficult by the second.

"Ugh! There _you_ are!" Trina's words made Tori close her eyes. "Robbie has glasses and he _still_ missed you!"

Jade yanked roughly on Tori's wrist and she slowly opened her eyes. Trina- it seemed- had found the shoes she was searching for.

"Why is my window open?" Trina took a few slow steps towards the window before sighing. "_Robbie_. He would _have_ to climb out the window"

She closed the window with a slam before turning in a rush towards the door. "I'll get him back for that!"

Trina let her bedroom door slam with a _bang_. Tori allowed a deep breath to escape her mouth that she didn't know she had been holding and shook her head. "_That_ was close"

"Does she always talk to herself?" Jade asked, groaning internally as she already knew the answer. "I guess someone's got to listen to her. Might as well be herself"

"See, it's a _win win_ situation" Tori stretched out her leg, attempting to slide out from underneath the bed. Extending out her left hand, Tori's forehead crinkled as she felt something cold with the palm of her hand.

"_Move_" Jade groaned, nudging Tori roughly in the side. They crawled awkwardly out, sliding on the floor. Jade rose to her feet quickly, her head snapping around to face the Latina.

"_Oh my god_! I found the key!" Tori's hand waved excitedly from side to side, as she held the small silver key up in the light. Leaping up and down, Tori's grin grew huge.

"Give it here!" Jade snapped, her free hand reaching out to try and snatch the key from the other girl.

Tori shook her head, holding it just out of reach. "No-"

"No?"

"No"

"_No?_"

"No!" Tori rolled her eyes before reaching for Jade's handcuffed wrist. Sliding the key into the handcuffs, her eyes glinted as there was a metallic _click_ and the cuffs slipped with ease from the Goth's left wrist.

"_Finally_" Jade breathed, "Another second and-"

Capitalizing on Tori's distraction, Jade grabbed the key from her hand. Tori watched weakly as the silver key slipped in slow motion from her grip and ended up in Jade's grasp.

"Give it back!" Tori shouted, steading herself on unbalanced feet as she felt the cold reality sink in.

Jade- now free from her half of the handcuffs- had now clicked her cuff on to Tori's other wrist.

In one swift motion, Tori had felt more of a prisoner than she had before.

"_Jaaaaaadde_! Get these off!" Tori continued to shout, raising her now handcuffed hands in the hair.

Jade smirked, deliberately taking her time to reply. Finally, she spoke up. "…why?"

"_Why_?" Tori snapped, feeling more infuriated by the second. "Maybe 'cause I don't want to look like I'm being carted off to jail!"

"Well, you _are_ wearing orange. It's… fitting" The Goth cast her eyes over Tori's orange cardigan. "…And hideous"

"_Thanks_ for your input"

"You're… _welcome_" Jade shook her head, tut-tutting as Tori took a leap for the key. "_Ah ah_"

"Why are you doing this? I so wouldn't do this to you!" Tori's voice was whiny and pained. "Oh I forgot, it's _you_"

"You remembered?" Jade smile glinted, watching as Tori's eyes followed the key she was twirling round her finger.

"Just let me out!"

"It's your house. Trina's room…" Jade moved towards the door, clasping her hand around the door handle before pulling it open. "You're free to go"

"I meant out of _these_!"

"Impatience is not a virtue"

"Like you're one to talk!"

Jade stopped twirling the key around her finger. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that"

Tori gulped. She looked between the Goth and the handcuffs before glancing back towards the key. It had never seemed so far out of reach as it did now. Tori sighed, already dreading the answer to the question she was about to ask. "Do you want me to-"

Tori rolled her eyes at how silly this was beginning to sound. "Do you want me to _beg_?"

"That could _work_" Jade smirked, enjoying the obvious control and power she had over the situation. She let her feet take a step closer to Tori.

Jade allowed the key to dangle loosely from her fingers, waving it back and forth between Tori's eyes. She glanced at the handcuffs.

"You _do_ want this right?" Jade asked, sensing hesitation as she dangled the key closer towards Tori's reach. She watched as the other girl nodded. Fighting to reach out and mock her, Jade stepped back.

Tori shook her head, her expression growing confused once again. "I… I'm not begging you for the key!"

"_Fiiiiine_" Jade played back, her expression and voice both calm and cool. "Happy handcuffs!"

"No! Jade- wait up!" Tori almost tripped as she watched Jade storm out of Trina's room. She ran from the room, following the Goth as quickly as she could. "You- you can't _leave_!"

"Who says?" Jade's voice bounced off the stairs and echoed around the living room. Skipping down the final steps, she turned to face Tori. "It's not like we're stuck together anymore"

"The assignment, remember?" Tori breathed, her eyebrows rising. "We're stuck together that way"

"How will Sikowitz _know_ if I escape this asylum?"

"My house _isn't_ an asylum!"

"White walls, handcuffs… _Trina_. Sounds like an asylum to me"

"That's beside the point!" Tori was now in her living room, watching as Jade slid towards her front door, "You can't just leave me with these on and… _and_… Sikowitz!"

"…_and_… _and_… _Sikowitz_!" Jade mocked Tori's voice. "The old dude isn't going to know if I _leave_"

Tori's phone _beeped_. "Ugh… it's in my pocket!"

Tori groaned, skipping over to the Goth, with her handcuffed hands raised high. "Can you get my phone?"

A few seconds passed. Jade let go of her grip on the door handle, groaning before twisting on her foot. "…_Why_?"

"Be_cause_ I'd do the same for you!"

"It's probably just Cat"

"Jaaaaaadddddeeee!"

"Okay, _okay_!" Jade waved her hand. "God, _not_ the baby voice"

"It's in my left pocket" Tori continued, shaking slightly as Jade roughly tugged her phone from her pocket. Jade clicked at her _Pearphone_, opening the text before Tori could mutter another word. "It's from-"

"…An _unknown_ number?" Tori's eyebrow quirked as she read the text over Jade's shoulder. "What's it say?"

Jade's finger clicked another button and the text opened.

"_'If you and Jade leave each other's proximity, Sikowitz will fail your… communication skills'_"

"Who's this from?" Tori looked confused until there was another _beep_. A new text had appeared in her inbox.

Jade read the text aloud. "_P.S this is Sinjin and Burf"_"

"How do they- How can they even _hear_ us?" Tori asked, glancing around the room. Her eyes grew small and suspicious as Jade clung to her phone. Tori's phone _beeped_ once again.

"_I can't divulge this statement_" Jade's eyes widened and she scoffed. "Oh… I am _so_ not reading that out"

Tori peaked over the Goth's shoulder once again and she finished reading the text. "'P.S.S _Jade, will you go out with me? P.S.S.S Sikowitz hired us as look outs'_" Tori paused. "That's a lot of PS's "

Jade's face grew confused. "How can they even type this stuff up in the time it takes us to spea-"

Tori's phone _beeped_ once again and she read aloud. "'_I have my… ways'_"

"_Ew_"

_Beep._

"'_You know you love it, Jade'_"

"Walk away"

Tori glanced around, peeking towards the backdoor of her kitchen. "They're watching this house right... _right_ _now_! That's so… _creepy_!"

Jade tossed the phone on to the couch in annoyance and watched as it bounced until it hit a cushion. "You attract the creepy"

Tori raised her handcuffed hands, hoping this would be a good time to jump in. "Free me?" Tori's eyes rose expectantly.

"I think you're missing the point here…" Jade pulled the key out from seemingly nowhere. "_This_ was in _Cruella's_ room but _why_? She had something to do with it"

"_Maybe_… maybe Cat dropped it when she was in there earlier!" Tori nodded, all the pieces falling slowly into place. "She _was_ upstairs looking at her shoes"

Jade dug into her bag as it balanced on the end of the couch. "I'm calling Cat… to tell her to get her synthetic red self over here!"

"Maybe… you could… y'know, let me outta these?" Tori asked carefully, her voice full with hope. Her cuffed hands rose once again only to be shushed away as Jade lifted her phone to her ear.

"I'm going to need you to be unconscious for this to work"

"Um… _what_?"

…

"I came as fast as I could! Is she… is Tori all right?" Cat sprinted in through the front door and over to the couch. "Tori!"

Lying on the couch, eyes closed and handcuffed was Tori. Trying not to laugh or to break character, Tori kept her eyes closed tightly and her breathing reduced. "What have you _done_ to her, Jade? Is she, like, breathing?" Cat's voice was panicked as she shook Tori's shoulders.

Jade tilted her head, playing this character a little too well. "She… she just fainted and… and I didn't know what to do"

"Why… why is Tori handcuffed? I thought you were both stuck together!"

"We found the key" Jade deadpanned. "_And_ we know what happened"

Cat continued to shake Tori's shoulders. "Wake up, Tor! _Wake up_!"

Tori eyes flickered open sleepily. Cat squealed, instantly throwing her arms around the Latina and pulling her into a bear hug.

"_I… I can't breathe_" Tori gasped, struggling to move her hands.

"I thought you were- I thought Jade had-"

"Geez, she's alive. It's a miracle. _Hallelujah_" The Goth rolled her eyes before folding her arms. "Get over it"

"_Okay… Cat_" Tori grimaced, feeling as if the life was being squeezed out of her. "_You can uh… let go now_"

"_Kay kay_!"

"The point is Cat, we _know _what happened" Jade continued, getting impatient. She folded her arms and scowled.

"We _do_?" Tori blurted, sitting up beside Cat on the couch.

"Okay but… but _don't hit_ me!" Cat leaped from the couch. She looked terrified. "T…Trina gave me the handcuffs. She said that to stop you two from fighting was to make you fight each other!"

"That's stupid" Jade added.

"…But it kinda makes sense" Tori stretched her cuffed hands out. "In a weird kinda way"

"_Re…veeee…nngee_…" Jade sang, a smirk tugging at the edge of her lips. "This is a record for Trina, twice in one night. She's not gonna know what hit her"

"_And_ Robbie. He _did_ let her leave the restaurant without paying. I can't believe he would even do that!"

"What're you gonna do?" Cat's face flickered with worry. She liked Trina, well, Cat liked everyone and she hated when her friends fought.

"You'll… _see_" Jade breathed.

"I guess now would be a good time to let me out of these" Tori smiled, sliding up from the couch.

Jade scowled, glancing around the living room then back to Cat. "I… _guess_"

_tbc_


	10. Monday

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 10 – Monday**

* * *

><p>Tori hated how quickly the weekend passed.<p>

In the blink of an eye, it was Monday again and she was walking through the car park of Hollywood Arts.

Tori pushed open the main door, making her way towards her locker in the main corridor. She had shared the ride to school with Jade. The Goth had disappeared silently as soon as they had left the car and Tori had set off to find Cat. She wondered if she would see Trina and Robbie today as her sister hadn't made a reappearance since the other night. Trina had stayed with Robbie, presumably, avoiding her sister.

Walking through the corridor, Tori moved across to her locker before opening it with her combination. She pulled out a book that Sikowitz had told her to read.

"Hey, Tor!" Tori glanced around to find Andre resting against the lockers. He seemed happy.

"Have a good Sunday?" Tori asked.

Andre nodded. "Yup. Been thinkin' ideas over for our very own _Karaoke Dokie_"

Tori had almost forgotten. "Me too" She lied, closing her locker.

"Great! Let's hear 'em"

"Um… _okay_. So don't be mad, but I _may _have forgotten" Tori paused, waiting for Andre's reaction. "_A little_"

"It's okay, Tor" He smiled. "I know you've been busy. I heard about what happened"

"You… _did_? Who told you?"

"Uh…" Andre's eyes shifted. Maybe he had said too much already. "It wasn't Robbie"

"It _was_ Robbie!" Tori adjusted her bag across her shoulder.

"He's hiding from you"

"He should be!" Tori shook her head. "Did he tell you about the restaurant?"

"Yup. I told him he better run" Andre's eyes widened. "Especially now that you've teamed up with Jade"

"_Teamed up with Jade?" _Tori repeated. She glanced around. "Have I?"

"You're doing that assignment with her" Andre played with the straps on his backpack. "How's that goin' by the way?"

"Jade's still… _Jade_" Tori said. She turned around, resting her back against the cool metal of her locker. "I'd like to say we'll be friends in no time but… I'm not so sure"

"You already are friends" Andre stated.

Tori played with her bag strap, copying Andre. "Don't let Jade hear you say that"

Andre shifted, glancing over his shoulder to see if Jade was there. She seemed to have the ability to appear at the worst of times. "It's true. Don't let her tell you any different"

"Sometimes I feel like it's one sided, Andre" Tori confessed, her voice becoming strained. "Like I get closer then she falls further away"

"Don't think like that, Tor. That's just Jade's way" Andre smiled lightly because he knew what Jade was like. "She likes you a lot"

"There's people that _like_ you?" Jade appeared from behind Andre and he froze. She made it seem like it was the worst thing in the world.

"Surprisingly, _yes_" Tori nodded, her confidence levels increasing with Andre's presence. His words had definitely helped.

"How… unfortunate"

"I think we should get to class" Andre suggested, pulling a little black notebook from his pocket. Jade was suddenly reminded to harass Cat and to get her songbook back from her. After all, she did still have it. "I'll talk you through some of my ideas?"

Tori nodded, glancing over her locker's '_Make It Shine_'.

"Ideas for what?" Jade asked, trying her best to sound casual.

"Our own _Karaoke Dokie"_

Tori and Andre moved away from Jade. "So I was thinkin' we could have a Rock night…" Andre's voice trailed off into the distance as Jade followed them.

…

As soon as they moved through the door to Sikowitz' class, Jade and Tori looked around. Not surprisingly, Robbie was nowhere to be seen.

"He's not here" Tori pulled a seat across the floor before sitting down. It wasn't like Robbie to be a no show and miss school.

Jade slid past Andre, taking a seat next to Tori. Her words were as threatening as ever. "He better hide"

Sikowitz skipped in to the classroom, bounding through the door in a blur. "How is everyone today?"

"I feel kinda-" Andre was cut off as Sikowitz howled with tears of laughter.

"Um… why are you laughing?" Tori asked.

"Oh… no reason" Sikowitz continued to laugh. Finally, composing his self in a few seconds. "Now that I have your attention, I'd like to talk all of you to leave except-"

Tori really hoped he wasn't going to say…

"-_Tori and Jade_"

"What? We can go?" Andre asked. That had been the quickest class ever.

Sikowitz nodded. "It's a free period. Go to the library and _stu-dee_"

"See you later, Tori" Andre said. "And good luck!"

The remaining class members slid out, happy that they were getting away earlier. Jade was the polar opposite, glaring at each of her classmates as they left through the door. It wasn't fair.

"Jade, Jade, _Jaaaade_" Sikowitz began. "Tori, Tori, _Torrrriiii_"

"Sikowitz, Sikowitz, _Sikowittttzzz_" Jade mocked. Tori shifted on her seat, glancing nervously to the side.

"I suppose you're both wondering why I brought you here"

Jade stiffened. "We brought ourselves here"

Sikowitz pulled a green apple from his pocket. "Class today is dedicated to the both of you"

"That's… nice of you" Tori sounded nervous and she looked it, too.

"So how are you getting on with the assignment?"

"_Great_" Tori muttered, the past few days replaying in her mind.

"What she said" Jade muttered.

"Is that a little sarcasm I detect?" Sikowitz took a bite out of his apple, chewing the pieces slowly. "So what have you found out about Tori, Jade? What have you _discovered_?"

"Well…" Jade drawled.

There was so much to choose from.

From Tori's obsession with pizza to how snappy she got when she didn't have enough sleep but there was one clear image that stood out in her mind. "…I finally discovered what her cream is for and it's not her face"

"You've been in my bathroom?" Tori shook her head. "I know you've _been_ in my bathroom, but you weren't meant to look in the cupboard!"

"Well I did. You've got a lot of _things_ in there"

"That's private!" Tori gasped, wriggling in discomfort at the thought of Jade rummaging around in her bathroom cupboard. "This is so embarrassing!"

"_Ooh_ juicy" Sikowitz bit in to another piece of his apple. "More dirt"

"Oh, there's more" Jade smirked, glancing to Tori. "She still sleeps with her Cuddle Me Cathy doll"

Tori cringed, internally. She snapped her head around with confusion, her eyes growing small and accusing. "How do you even _know _that?"

"I have my sources"

Sikowitz turned his attention to Tori. "And what have you discovered, uncovered, _delved _from Jade?"

Jade shifted in her seat with her arms folded tight. She was curious to know too.

"I've discovered…" Tori thought long and hard, "…Jade has a songbook that she doesn't like anyone else to read"

"_Wow_" Jade deadpanned. "How incriminating"

Tori pretended that she didn't hear, watching as Sikowitz began to speak. "And you didn't know this before?"

Tori shook her head. She did know in a way. Jade was protective of all her belongings, especially her notebooks. They were private after all.

"There's nothing else that-" Sikowitz leaped from the floor on his feet, making Tori shiver. "_Jumps_ out at you?"

"I have plenty" Jade drawled.

"Good for you, Jade" Sikowitz congratulated. "But this isn't a contest"

He saw Jade's smirk falter. "This assignment is about getting to know one another, like it or not"

"I don't like it"

"My sources tell me that you tried to walk out" Sikowitz chewed his apple.

Jade grew quiet. It was true, she had. "_Tried_. Next time I'll go"

"Now, now, I wouldn't do that if I was you"

Jade struggled to keep her expression calm. "Why not?"

"I've been speaking to Lane and he agrees that if you fail this assignment, _ala_ you or Tori walk out on one another… you won't achieve the extra credits on the final award for my class this year"

"Huh?" Tori asked.

"This is blackmail!" Jade uncrossed her arms because she knew she needed those extra credits.

"Now, now, don't be a gank" Sikowitz chastised, shaking his head lightly.

Tori's head began to throb. "It's only been a few days and I think Jade hates me even more than she did _before_ we started!"

"It's true" Jade shrugged.

"You both need something to bond over" Sikowitz rambled. "Whether it be music, art or your dislike for one another. I just don't know what "it" is yet"

"Can I suggest something?" Tori spoke up. She wasn't suite sure why she was so nervous.

"No" Jade said immediately.

Sikowitz paced the room, finally finishing off his apple before throwing it against the whiteboard. "Suggest away"

A thought struck Tori between her eyes. "Andre and I have been thinking of starting our own music club"

"Good for you" Sikowitz continued to pace.

Tori continued. "Like a mixture between a Karaoke club and a place where bands could perform. We just need somewhere to start it"

"And you think this could help?"

Tori nodded. "I think it could" She paused, briefly wondering how her suggestion was going to go down. "We both like music and if we could get something started then it would take up our time. The month would fly in" Jade stiffened. The idea had caught her attention, too. "We just need a hall or room big enough for our idea"

Sikowitz seemed intrigued, too. "Theoretically speaking… if I was to give you this… room… I would need to see development"

"Development?"

"In what?" Jade asked.

"Development between the both of you" Sikowitz continued. "Friendship"

"Blackmail" Jade sing-songed.

"I could go with that" Tori surmised. "I guess"

"Good choice!" Sikowitz clapped his hands together, signifying the decision. He ignored Jade's sounds of protest.

"So… what room are we getting?"

"_Room_?"

Tori gasped, exasperatedly. "For our Karaoke club!"

"Oh that" Sikowitz stopped pacing. "There's an old hall near the library. It's not been used for years. You can have that one"

"You sure that's okay?"

"I'll speak to Lane"

"Great! I can't wait to tell Andre" Tori's mood lifted. "He'll be so excited"

Next to her, Jade groaned. "I'm not helping out"

…

"He said it was just up here…" Tori's eyes followed the sign as they turned around the corner to the library. Jade was following Tori, but only at a distance. The Goth had grumbled and groaned as soon as they had left Sikowitz' class but Tori, however, had begun to tune it out.

And then it caught her eye.

A large, white wooden door with '_No Students_' engraved in red letters on a black sign. That had to be it.

Jade's interest was suddenly raised as Tori moved closer before twisting the door handle. She pushed the door in before her shoulder collided with it.

"It's stuck" Tori twisted the handle again. "_Really_" She gasped as her hand shot with pain. "…Stuck"

"Let me try" Jade pushed past Tori with force. If you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself.

Jade reached for the door handle. It twisted again, but to no avail. It sounded and felt like it was jammed.

"It's stuck, Jade" Tori watched as Jade's hand throttled the door handle making the door shake.

"Really? I never knew" Jade pushed the door in, shoving her shoulder against the wood. The door fought on. "There's something blocking it" Jade shook the handle again, growing more impatient. She decided to try kicking the door.

"_Jade_! Watch the door" Tori's eyes flew around. She felt like they were breaking into an out of bounds classroom and knowing Sikowitz; they were.

Jade grunted as her black boot connected with the white of the door. The pain shot through her foot almost immediately but it never betrayed on her face. The door suddenly clicked and Jade pushed it open.

Tori spluttered as a huge cloud of dust flew into their eyes. Jade booted the door again before taking a step inside.

The room was dark and her hand found a light switch. The light flickered on slowly to reveal what looked like an old gymnasium. It was huge.

Tori glanced around. "Sikowitz was right. This place hasn't been used for years"

Jade studied the gymnasium. There was an old set of basketball hoops with broken nets and a faded scoreboard. Tori's attention rested on the far right corner where furniture lay covered up with a white sheet. "What happened to this place?"

Jade moved across the floor, her boots squeaking as she tried to avoid falling over strewn pieces of wood and paper. She bent down to scoop up something Tori realised was a record; a vinyl record.

Jade blew the dust off of it with one swift breath to reveal an image. "_Imagine_"

"_Imagine_?" Tori repeated, taking a step closer to Jade. Her eyes collided with the record that she was holding. Tori recognised it almost immediately because her Dad had the same one at home, except on CD. "John Lennon"

"This is a nineteen seventy one record" Jade informed Tori. It was one of her favourites.

"Is it valuable?"

"Musically yes" Jade turned the record over. "But not everything is about the money"

Tori agreed, silently. Her eyes caught sight of a stack in the middle of the floor. There seemed to be things everywhere. "I think there's more records over there"

Jade followed Tori as they stepped over, around and through the discarded items on the floor.

Jade scooped up the records before scanning through the titles. "How did they even end up here?"

"I think they were forgotten about" Tori sneezed, sniffling as Jade's movement unsettled the dust from the stack. "I think this whole room was"

"It has a lot of character" Jade decided, referring to the room. She clasped the records in her right hand. "With a fresh coat of paint we could get this place up to… this year" Tori smiled. She loved that Jade was showing an interest. "We've got a lot of work to do" Jade paused, glancing around to Tori. "And by we, I mean you"

"And by me, I mean _we_" Tori chuckled, shakily. Jade wasn't wriggling out of this one. "We need all the people we can get to help"

"I know" Jade shrugged. "I heard Sikowitz' spiel about extra credits"

"So there's no way you're getting out of helping" Tori sounded happy about that. Her smile grew from ear to ear.

"Quit reminding me" Jade drawled. "But we _could_ make this place into something _Karaoke Dokie _wasn't. It could be the old meets the new"

Tori nodded, her eyebrow rose. "You sound like you've got some ideas"

Jade placed the records back down on the stack, trying to not sound so interested. She hoped she sounded normal and casual. "A few"

Jade seemed positive. Maybe the month would go quicker than Tori had imagined. She had a feeling it would.

"We'll need to find Andre" Tori took a final look at the old gymnasium before facing Jade. The walls were covered with yellow, peeling wallpaper. "I can't wait to show him this place!"

_tbc_


	11. Fundraising

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 11 – Fundraising**

* * *

><p>"<em>Sikowitz<em>!" Tori's eyes watched as Lane paced back and forth. He was pacing so much that Tori was sure there was a patch beginning to wear on the floor. Jade was next to her. They peeked nosily through the glass window of his office. "You can't just give out old classrooms to kids!" It had been less than an hour since Lane had discovered Tori and Jade rummaging around in the disused gymnasium and the reception they had been given wasn't exactly warm.

Sikowitz angled his back against his seat. "It's a gymnasium"

"_Or _gymnasiums!" Lane threw his hands up before massaging his temples with his fingers. "You don't just hand these over to students!"

Tori leaned back from the window, her face flooding with worry as she studied the scene. What if Lane didn't allow them to use the gymnasium?

"This sucks" Tori said, turning on her feet. She found balance as she rested her back against the wall of the corridor. "We should be in there"

Jade shifted, turning around to face Tori. She agreed, silently and wordlessly. They were making a big deal over nothing.

Five to ten minutes later, the door to Lane's office clicked open and Sikowitz appeared.

"How…" Tori tried to decipher the expression on his face. It was suspended somewhere between sadness and anger. "…How'd it go?"

Sikowitz' face slowly erupted into a grin. "You can have your room" He glowed, literally.

"We_ can_?" Jade asked, folding her arms as she quirked an eyebrow.

Tori swayed. It all seemed too easy. After all, she had seen with her own eyes just how angry Lane had been. Tori's expression lifted, expectantly. "_Can_ we?"

Sikowitz slid his hands into the pockets of his grey cardigan. "It's all yours"

"Lane seemed pretty mad earlier. How'd you even _get_ him to change his mind?" Tori asked, carefully. She was somehow dreading the answer.

"The power of persuasion" Sikowitz marvelled, standing proud.

"You blackmailed him?" Jade sounded impressed.

"No" Sikowitz shook his head. He sounded oddly serious. "I promised him that you and Tori would clean, tidy and paint the gymnasium for free"

"_Free_?" Jade tensed. "Are you kidding me? Have you _seen _inside of it?"

"Yes, no and yes" Sikowitz began to stroll away.

"We can't afford this!" Tori said, calculating the costs in her mind. The paint alone would cost the most. "Don't you have some sort of budget we could use?"

"There isn't one" Jade glared at Sikowitz as he spoke. "Well, there was but I spent it on importing my Caribbean Coconuts from an online catalogue"

"_Caribbean Coconuts_?" Tori ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back into a loose quiff. "So I guess we're meant to raise the money now"

"That's a wonderful idea, Tori!" Sikowitz clapped his hands together. "I _was _going to ask Lane for another budget but now that you've suggested that you're idea seems more…"

"Stupid" Jade offered, pouting at Tori as she crossed her arms.

"…Teacher-y" Sikowitz beamed. It annoyed Tori that she always seemed to say too much.

"I was kidding!" Tori offered, trying her best to change Sikowitz' mind, "You don't always _have_ to listen to me!"

"I don't" Tori heard Jade mutter.

"_Fun-raisers!_" The words rolled off of Sikowitz' tongue as he exaggerated the syllables of each word. "Raise some fun!"

"We know what it means!" Jade was beginning to grow bored of folding her arms. She shifted as she placed them to her side, only to move them back.

"I _already_ have an assignment" Tori whined.

"This is an assignment _in _an assignment. Think of it as one of those Russian dolls that you _pluck_ the heads off of" Jade's interested was suddenly piqued.

Tori's face grew confused. "We'll need hundreds of dollars!"

Sikowitz was blunt and – unusually - straight to the point. "You will" He balanced on one foot as if to further his point. "Better get shaking the charity tin"

"What are we gonna do? Rob a _bank_?" Tori bit her lip, glancing to Sikowitz for some kind of answer. Instead, he just shrugged before beginning to walk away.

"I'm not helping" Jade's voice rang out around the corridor as Tori faced her with worry.

"_Yes_, you are!" Tori spoke slowly as if trying to calm herself. Sometimes she wondered why Sikowitz was always pushing for her to work with Jade, when it was always Jade that didn't want to work with her.

"No" Jade's voice was hoarse as she glared at Tori.

"_Yes!_"

"Ughhhh" Jade let her back rest against the corridor. She leaned her head back before slowing sliding down to the floor. "Can't you just busk or something?" Jade paused. "Oh… _wait_. You need talent"

"_Ouch_" Tori faked offence. "Don't hurt my feelings"

"Consider them hurt" Jade's head rested against the wall of the corridor as she glanced around. The corridor was deserted as everyone else was still in class.

"Come _on_, Jade!" Tori enthused, trying to inject some well needed life in to the Goth. "We _have _to do this. It has the potential to be something great"

Jade was silent. Tori noticed that her eyes were closed. "Are you even listening to me?"

The Goth's eyes snapped open. "Sorry, were you talking? I- I didn't hear"

Tori's lip quivered. Jade was testing her patience to an extreme. Tori could feel the words in her throat, suspended in the moment before she opened her mouth. Ignoring the words, Tori sighed with a huff before turning on her feet. Jade resumed her position of resting her head against the corridor wall.

Tori thought she could feel Jade's eyes on her as she moved further and further away down the corridor.

…

Cat was the first to find Tori.

The bell had rang for lunch and Cat skipped off towards the library. When she found her friend, Tori lay perched across one of the couches. Her bag had fallen open and she was scooping up her books from the floor below.

"I knew you'd be in here!" Cat hovered towards the seat.

"I _did_ text you" Tori shook her head, deciding that she couldn't be bothered with Cat logic today. She tugged at her bag.

"Where's Jade?" Cat asked, sliding in to a single seat of the couch.

"No idea" Tori tried to sound casual and uncaring as she breathed the words. She hoped Cat wouldn't notice anyway.

"I thought she'd be here"

"Nope. _Not_ here" Tori's face read as blank and Cat grew confused. Tori thought of Jade and a black and white image appeared in her mind. "She's probably sitting in the Asphalt Café…" Tori's words began to sound more severe and bitter, "…Stabbing the _life_ out of her coffee cup with a fork"

Cat pouted. "You seem… sad-mad"

"_Sad-mad_?" Tori zipped her bag up. Was she really that obvious?

"It's when you're sad but mad at the same time"

"That makes… _sense_" Tori managed. "It's just… it's Jade. She won't help me with this assignment. It's like, one minute she says she will and then the next she's just un_bearable_" Tori's eyes read Cat's face, trying to search for a sign for her to continue. "Sikowitz spent our class budget this year on "_Caribbean Coconuts" _so now we-" Tori paused to sigh and correct herself. "_I _have to raise money so we can paint up the old gymnasium"

"I'll help you" Cat offered. "Everyone will"

"Have you seen Andre?"

"He went for lunch"

Tori slung her bag across her shoulders. Briefly wondering if they would bump in to Jade on the way over to the Asphalt café. "Let's go find him"

…

"So have you seen Robbie today?" Tori asked, glancing casually to Cat as they walked past their lockers.

Cat nodded quickly, her eyes wide. "He told me to tell you that I haven't seen him"

"But…" Tori's eyes grew small as she processed the information. "…If he told you, then you've _seen_ him"

"Nu-uh" Cat shook her head. They were nearing the door to the Asphalt cafe. "Robbie said he was a ghost" Cat shrugged. "I believe him"

…

"Ow!" Robbie grunted as his face collided with the small glass window of the door to the Janitor's closet. "_Ow!_" Condensation clouded the window as Robbie gasped out. The door shook with force before he felt the grip on his shoulder subside.

Robbie turned around to face Jade. He rubbed his arm in pain. Jade's grip was like steel. "What was _that_ for?"

"You know what it was for" Jade folded her arms, staring Robbie down. She didn't have the time for this. After colliding with Robbie in the middle of the corridor, she had successfully dragged him to the Janitors closet as he kicked his feet and tried to run away.

"Lemme go, _please_!" Robbie protested, making a dash for the door. Jade stepped to the left, blocking his escape. She grasped her coffee cup in her right hand. "_Jade_!"

"_Robbie_!" Jade mocked, taking a sip from her cup. The coffee danced across her tongue.

"I hate this Janitors Closet" Robbie pouted, deciding to skip straight to the point. He couldn't take any more beatings from Jade. "_What _do you_ want_?"

Jade took a moment to respond. She could feel the heat radiating off her coffee throughout her hand. "I want your guitar"

"_My _guitar" Robbie's face flooded with confusion. "Why?"

"Not just your guitar. _You_"

"I'm flattered, Jade" Robbie began to flush with crimson as he nervously shifted on the spot. "B…but I'm dating Trina-"

"Don't flatter _yourself_" Jade shivered with distaste at what Robbie was implying. She was finding it more and more tempting to reach out and push Robbie up against the door again. Instead, she bit her lip and rolled her eyes. "You busk, _right_?"

Robbie sighed, trying to catch his breath. "Yeah, why?"

"This isn't twenty questions!"

"Okay, _okay_!" Robbie could hear the corridors bursting with people outside. "Whatever you want, I'll do it" Robbie paused. "As long as it doesn't involve nudity or-"

"Just sing your stupid bad news songs!" Jade cut off Robbie's words. She angled her head to the side as she began to speak slowly. "Then give me all the money you've _slaved_ over"

"But… I don't make any money singing bad news songs"

"You do now!"

"How?" Robbie sounded clueless and scared. He glanced down at the floor, fearful that Jade was going to lunge out at him.

"Charge them for it!" Jade paced the small confides of the Janitors closet. "Like you charged Tori and I for your stupid dinner and caviar" Of course Jade could keep out the part of not _actually_ paying for their bill.

"That was Trina's idea!" Robbie defended. "I didn't even suggest it… in the slightest!"

"Suspiciously specific denial" Jade held a hand up, signalling for Robbie to say no more. "I don't even care"

Robbie shifted on the spot, glancing weakly up towards Jade. "Can I go now?"

"We're going to the mall" Jade announced, smirking as she watched Robbie panic.

He cast a sceptical look towards the Goth. "We _are_?"

Jade's patience, what little was left of it, dissolved. "Yes. We. Are" Her teeth gritted and she groaned. "Meet me at my car. After school"

Robbie sulked across to the door quickly, resided to his fate. If he left it another minute, Jade would do something irrational and he'd end up with his face crushed against the door. He rubbed his cheek as he left through the door.

…

"I need to see this place" Andre took a bite out of his hamburger. He glanced across to Tori as they sat outside in the Asphalt café. "It sounds slick"

"It is" Tori nodded, finishing off the rest of her fries. "We could go up to it just now if you want"

"Totally"

"Where did Cat go?" Tori asked, finally realising her friend had been gone for a whole ten minutes.

"The bathroom, I think" Andre sipped his drink. "Probably got lost again"

"Yeah" Tori pushed her tray of food away. "She'll know where to find us, anyway"

…

"_La la la la…"_ Cat sung as she skipped around the bathroom stalls. The room was deserted. Cat glanced at her reflection in the mirror before flattening her hair down before flicking on the tap. The water whished as she washed her hands.

The sudden bang of the door opening made her head fly up. She glanced in to the mirror to meet Jade's stare. "_Oh_. Hi Jade!"

Jade shifted, slinking her bag across her shoulder as she moved next to one of the sinks. "_Hey_" Her voice was a deep monotone as she watched Cat dry her hands with a paper towel.

"Tori was looking for you" Cat balanced on one foot as she adjusted her hair again in the mirror.

Jade shrugged. "_So?_"

Cat's face frowned and she whipped around to face the Goth. "Stop being mean to Tori!" Her voice was serious and it made Jade's blank expression soften in the lightest, hidden of ways.

Jade ignored Cat's words. "Do you have my songbook?"

Cat nodded. "It's in my locker"  
>"It better be"<p>

"It is!" Cat squealed with worry, her eyes flying open in alarm.

Jade adjusted her movement, sipping her coffee. "…_Good_"

Cat shifted. Jade was staring holes into her face. "Do you want it back, like, now?"

Jade tilted her head, an ironic smile emerging on her lips. "I thought you'd never ask"

…

"This place is _sick_!" Andre's voice echoed around the gymnasium. Even through all the objects, furniture and junk lying around, his voice rang out.

"You like it?" Tori appeared at his side, studying for his reaction and smiling.

"_Like it_? I _love_ it! We're gonna make this place into somethin' great"

Tori moved from side to side, her eyes taking in all the old furniture across the hall.

The door burst open and Cat leaped through, screaming. Tori's ears rang with pain as the redhead stumbled and yelled across the hall. "_DON'T HIT ME!_"

A few seconds later, the door was booted open for the second time and Jade stomped through.

"This is dis_gusting_!" Jade waved something in the air that Tori recognised as her songbook. The Goth's face was thunder.

Cat squealed as she collided with one of the pieces of furniture- an old wooden chair which was situated in the middle of the hall- and she fell to the floor.

"What- what happened?" Tori asked, trying to figure out what was unfolding between them. She shared the same look of worry as Andre, as they observed the scene playing out in front of their eyes.

"It's all sticky! Is this-" Jade paused, her eyes firing up with a shade of anger that Tori had never quite seen before, or knew existed. "Is this the _chewy remains of_ _bibble_?" There was something in Jade's voice that recognised what it was. She lifted her hand before swiping it away in disgust on the edge of her black top.

"It is! It is!" Cat hid her face in what Tori read as shame. Cat choked, and Tori swore she was beginning to cry. "I'm _saw-reeeee!"_

"You will be!" Jade moved towards Cat. Stepping over the scattered objects, she lunged towards the redhead.

Andre took a step back, declaring that it wasn't his fight.

Tori hopped across the floor, just reaching Jade before she grabbed Cat. Tori pulled the Goth back by throwing her arms around Jade's waist.

"Let me go!"

"No" Tori gasped as Jade elbowed her in the stomach. "_Ow_!"

Jade felt Tori's grasp tighten around her waist and she was weakly pulled back. Wriggling and fighting, Tori's grip fell from Jade.

"Well, don't just stand there, Andre! _Help_ Cat!" Tori gasped, flinging her arms around Jade's underarms in a calculated move.

"Uh… sure!" Andre slid towards Cat and he pulled her on to her feet. "All right, little red?"

"I'm sorry, Jade!" Cat blurted, deciding that it was safe enough to admit to her crime as the Goth was being held back by Tori. "I just… I was eating bibble and then I opened your songbook and I-"

"You _read _my songs?" Jade lunged again but was roughly pulled back as Tori's arms wrapped around her underarms in an attempt to hold her back.

"_Maybe_…" Cat confessed quietly. "They were just _so good_ and, and then I spilt the bibble and then I tried to wipe it but then it smudged all the words and like, _don't hit me_!"

"_And then, and then, and then_…" Jade mocked, still struggling against Tori's grip.

"That _is_ a lot of thens" Andre added.

"I- I didn't mean it" Cat gulped, looking across to Jade. "I'll buy you a new book from _Skystore_. I promise!"

"I don't want a book from _'Skystore'_" The Goth's movement stiffened but Tori still had her arms lifted up. The Goth felt like a puppet as Tori's arms held her tight.

"See, Cat'll get you a new one" Andre reassured.

"It won't be the same!" Jade muttered, looking away.

"Of course it will"

"She's right, Andre" Jade's eyes shifted as she felt the voice resonate from behind her head. Tori's voice was a mixture of calm and sympathy. "It _wouldn't_ be the same" Jade pulled against Tori's grip, trying her luck in the moment. Once again, she grunted as she was restrained. She felt limp and pathetic as Tori continued. "Can we not just wipe the bibble from the pages?"

"It can't be saved" Jade mustered, tugging to free her arms.

"It can't be _that_ bad…" Tori's eyes collided with the book as Andre scooped it up from the floor. It was bad. The chewy bibble was sticking to the pages like multi-coloured bubble-gum. "If you look past the big, sticky…" Tori's voice faded with disgust as she looked at the book. "…Pages with bibble, then it's… _fine_"

"You suck at lying, Tor" Andre shook his head, throwing the songbook to the floor. "It's ruined"

"Not helping, Andre!"

Jade glared at Cat. "You'll pay"

Cat squealed in terror before cowering for cover behind Andre.

"So… everything's _okay_?" Tori asked. Maybe that was the wrong question to ask. Of course it was far from okay.

After all, Tori would feel the same way if it had happened to her journal and Jade's songbook obviously meant a lot to her. The Goth stayed silent, eerily still and suspended in Tori's grip.

"Look… I'm going to let you go and I don't want you to chase after Cat" Tori explained. "-Or hurt her. In _any _way" Still, Jade remained silent. "You got that?"

Jade mumbled something incoherent under her breath. "I said have you _got _that?" Tori repeated, more seriously.

"_Yes_!" Jade answered exasperatedly, like she was running out of breath. Tori sceptically held her for a few more seconds, raising her eyebrow suspiciously before she slowly let her slide from her grip. Jade snatched her arms back in emphasised drama.

"_No_!" Jade lunged across as Cat ran away.

"I knew that was gonna happen" Tori watched as Cat sprinted through the door. Jade slid across the floor as she sped to catch up with her.

"Run, little red, _run_!" Andre shouted, adding his support.

…

"Do you think Cat's still _alive_?" Tori asked, whispering and mumbling to Andre as they rummaged through the stacks of old books and records in the gymnasium. Jade had returned after disappearing for half an hour. Her hair was tangled with loose knots and Tori was really worried about Cat's existence. "Jade looks a little too… _smiley_"

"_And she can hear everythin' you're sayin', Tori Vega_"

"Ughhhh…" Tori groaned internally. She glanced over the stack of records. "How many times, _I don't talk like that_!" Andre laughed, snickering lightly because Tori _really _did talk like that. Sometimes, at least. Tori turned to face Andre. "You're not meant to find it funny!"

"Sorry, _sorry_!" Andre smiled, trying to cover up his laugh. He coughed as he changed the subject. "Hey… I think we should sell some of these records, man. I mean, some of 'em are quite old and it would be a great way to raise money"

Tori knew Andre was walking on a minefield. If she had learned one thing about Jade, it was to not step between her and vinyl records.

"No" Jade shook her head, glaring at Andre.

"Look, I know you like them and everything-" Andre's eyes shifted to Tori, as if he was looking for support for Tori to back him up. "-But this place isn't gonna pay for itself"

"We're keeping the records. _I'm _keeping the records" Jade held Andre's gaze. It was the kind of uncomfortable staring which he always avoided. Jade always held a steady and unblinking stare.

Andre recoiled, caving and giving in. "Keep 'em! Keep the records. Just don't hit me!"

"I make no promises"

"But we _could _sell some of this stuff. Have a garage sale"

Jade was calm. "I'm handling the money situation"

"You... _are_?"

Tori emptied the wooden chest at her feet. She wasn't paying attention to what her friends were saying as her hands grasped at what looked like an old can of paint. "Hey, d'you think this would still be useable?" Tori inspected the round, metal tin with her eyes. The lid was covered with dust and rust. "It looks like it's from the last century"

"Let's see, I'll open it up" Andre moved from his seat, grabbing a screwdriver he had found earlier on the floor. He snatched the tin from Tori before wedging it up with the tool. "I don't think we'll be able to use this. Ugh! It _stinks_!" He cowered away before handing it back to Tori.

"_Cool_" Jade appeared at Tori's side, her eyes colliding with the gooey, gunge of the old paint. She moved a finger towards it but Tori tugged the tin away.

"_Ew_, don't touch it!"

"We're keeping the paint too"

"Do you want to keep _everything, _Jade?" Tori asked, honestly wanting to know. "And I thought _I_ was the hoarder"

"So, how're you handling the money sitch again, Jade?" Andre chose the moment to ask. He was so desperate to know.

"Robbie"

Tori's eyebrows rose. "Robbie as in, _Shapiro_?"

Jade blinked, calmly not responding to Tori. "He's doing some overtime with his guitar"

"What did you do?"

Jade thought Tori sounded worried. "_Relax_, _Tori_. He owes us"

"I _guess_…" Tori bit her lip, deciding there and then. She nodded, thinking about Robbie and Trina. "_Yeah_, yeah he does"

"We're meeting him after school at the mall. He's busking and all proceeds go to yours truly"

"_You_?" Andre asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"This place" Jade sounded… _pleased_? Tori's eyes shifted as she processed the unfamiliar tone of positivity. "But I'll take my cut"

…

The bell rang, signalling the end of classes for the day. Robbie sank towards the parking lot, resided to his fate.

Jade and Tori were resting against the door of her car as he neared them.

"Where's your guitar?" Jade asked, glancing at him suspiciously as he was only wearing his bag.

"We'll need to stop at my house on the way over"

Tori nodded but didn't say anything. She was still annoyed with him over the restaurant. Tori hadn't seen Trina all day but she knew it would only be time that she would bump into her sister. Trina couldn't avoid her forever.

"Well, get _in_" Jade said, instructing Robbie to shuffle into the back seat. Slowly, he slid inside.

_tbc_


	12. Trina's Trap

**Where The Lines Overlap**

**Chapter 12 – Trina's Trap**

* * *

><p>"There's really no pressure…" Jade eased her car to a standstill in the parking lot next to the mall entrance. Robbie's expression perked up, his fear lowering slightly.<p>

If there was no pressure to earn money, then maybe he could enjoy just playing his guitar. He prepared himself for the blow which was surely coming.

As if on cue, Jade turned to face him in the backseat. "-But if you don't make us at least a hundred bucks by the end of the day, you'll be looking for a new guitar"

"A _hundred_ bucks? I don't even make that in a week!" Robbie clutched his guitar firmly in his hands after digesting Jade's warning.

"Well, you better get _strumming_!" Tori chimed in, sliding off her seatbelt from her waist. She glanced at Robbie in the rear-view mirror.

Jade smirked. It was clear to Robbie that she was laughing at him with her eyes. "Aren't you guys gonna come with me?"

"_Nooooo_" Jade stretched her neck.

"We'll be back here at seven to pick you up" Tori added, watching Robbie as he began to shuffle.

"_Don_'_t _be late"

"See you two… _later_" Robbie muttered before sliding out from the backseat. Their eyes followed Robbie's outline as he disappeared through the entrance.

"You know… I didn't think getting Robbie back would feel this… satisfying" Tori admitted, mulling over Robbie leaving. "I thought I'd feel guilty"

"And you're not now?" Jade looked up from the dashboard.

"Kind… of"

"_Why?_"

"Be_cause_… because that's how you're _meant_ to feel!" Tori rambled. She wasn't quite sure why she felt so defensive.

"Well, I don't" Jade sniffed the air. Swinging from her rear-view mirror was an old air freshener which was well out of date. She ripped the blue thread from it before tossing it into the back seat. "Why is it always so hard for you to see that not everyone _bleeds_ sunshine?"

"Why is it so hard for _you _to see that not everyone _spews_ fire?" Tori countered, rephrasing the question. She raised her eyebrows as if to say; '_Huh_?'

"You were all for this an hour ago" Jade challenged back, resting her hands against the steering wheel. Her eyes studied the passers-by as they left and entered the mall yet her attention still remained on Tori. "Can _Angel Tori_ not admit that she likes revenge?"

Tori could. That would be the easy option; to just give in, hold her hands up and admit it. _Yes_, she did like revenge. There was something terrifyingly satisfying that had settled in her stomach earlier.

"You're acting like we set fire to his guitar and threw it at him!" Jade continued, yawning at how old this conversation was beginning to get and deciding that would be her plan of action if Robbie didn't show up with a hundred dollars.

"But it _was_ Trina's fault- equally!"

"I was getting to that part" Jade shifted before sliding something from her bag. Tori took in the sight of a phone. Robbie's phone.

"How'd-" Tori began, "How'd you even _get_ that?" And then she remembered that this was Jade she was talking to. Tori made a mental note to keep an eye on her phone at all times.

"_Magic_" Jade tapped a few digits into the phone. It had been easy to steal Robbie's phone. He was always so distracted. "Time to find Trina"

Tori's eyes followed Jade's plan as she realised what was going to happen. "_Oh _so Trina will think _we're _Robbie-" Jade blinked. Sometimes, Tori could be really slow. "-And then she'll show up wherever we _arrange_ to meet her!"

Jade nodded, never looking up from Robbie's phone. "I've texted her"

If Tori knew her sister – and she did - they would get a reply within minutes. Right on cue, Robbie's phone buzzed. _One new message from Trina_.

Tori leaned across, angling her head in a bid to see what the message said. Jade rested a hand on the steering wheel as she grasped at Robbie's phone.

"She's going to meet us at your house" Jade drawled, finally glancing across to Tori.

"For what? _Dinner_?"

"With _Robbie_" Jade expression dissolved into her usual smirk. The one which always sent alarm bells ringing in Tori's head.

She gulped, looking nervous. "Why do I get the feeling that I should be stopping you?"

"I'd like to see you try" Jade tapped into Robbie's phone once more before tossing it back into her bag. She glanced back around to Tori. "But you don't have a choice"

"_Oh_. I _don't_?"

"Now that you know what's happening; you're compromised"

"_Compromised_?" Tori didn't like the way the Goth pronounced that.

Jade breathed out, "You hate Trina. What's the problem?"

"I don't _hate _her…"

Jade sighed, rolling her eyes. "She stole your cuddle me Cathy doll and used it as a- _tissue_" Jade could list with ease. The words just fell from her mouth. "She didn't wake you up in time for the play _and _she ran away from a restaurant and left _you _to pay for the bill" Tori blinked, startled as Jade spoke so quickly.

There was one more thing that Jade knew would bring Tori all the way over to the dark side. She paused, taking a moment before the words hit Tori. "She sold your grandma's knitted cushion on _eBay_ to fund her expedition to the mall!"

"She- she _sold_ my grandma's_ cushion_?" Tori spluttered, trying to process the information. She pouted, flickering with sadness. "Trina said that she was just keeping it in her room for a while!"

"Well, she lied" Jade crossed her arms. "You didn't actually _believe _her?"

"I… did" Tori grew quiet. "I _guess_"

"So _now,_ do you believe _me_?"

"Yeah… _yeah _I _do_!"

Jade turned the key in the ignition before slamming her foot down on the pedal. She reversed her car from the parking lot before Tori could change her mind.

…

The front door to Tori's house unlocked with a click and she stepped through. Tori glanced around but Jade wasn't anywhere to be seen. Not on her front porch anyway. "Jade?"

Tori sighed, deciding to leave the door open until the Goth appeared. She skipped through the living room as she tried to see if Trina was around. "_Trina_?" Tori called, resting on the bottom of the stairs. There was no reply. Turning around, she almost collided with Jade.

Tori clocked a tin as Jade placed it down on the couch. "Um, is that the old paint from the gymnasium? _Why _do you have it..?" Tori asked, growing increasingly more suspicious as Jade pulled out a length of rope from her bag. "Why do you have-" She froze, trying to compose herself. It was going to be the shovel incident all over again. "_-Rope_?"

"_So _many questions"

"_So_ many _unanswered _questions!" Tori added, mirroring the Jade's tone. "And Trin_a _will be here soon!"

Jade ignored the panic in her voice. She took a step back, an eyebrow rising before she sighed. "Do you have a screwdriver?"

"Why?"

"_Do _you _have _a_ screwdriver?"_

"_Yes_! But-"

"Then, go get it"

"_But_-"

"_Go get it!"_

Tori sank towards the kitchen, moving across the floor before she pulled open a drawer. "Here" She handed the screwdriver to Jade. "Although, _why _do you have- have-" Tori's voice wavered with her nerves. "-_Industrial_ sized rope?"

"Don't just stand there and ask questions, _untie_ this!" Jade threw the length of rope towards Tori and it landed at her feet.

"I still don't-"

"_Shh!_"

Silently, Tori shook her head before beginning to unravel the rope. She just hoped it wasn't for herself.

…

Trina's movement stalled and she froze on the porch pathway leading up to her front door. Was it just her imagination or did she hear voices?

Robbie – of course – wouldn't be that far behind. He always stuck well to his text arrangements. Trina's mind flooded with thoughts of the new shoes she had been bought and how much she loved them, and everything was right again.

Her hand clasped the handle of the door, her grip wavering.

Trina glanced around. Something was definitely not right. Yet, she couldn't place a finger on it. Shaking her head lightly, she rolled her eyes at how paranoid she was becoming before twisting the door handle. The door clicked and she stepped inside.

Trina gasped and screamed as yellow; gloopy gunge fell from the ceiling, spilling across her hair and down her forehead. She blinked, trying her best to swipe the gunge from her forehead and eyes. Twirling around, her eyes clocked a tin suspended in the air - just above the door - on what looked like rope.

"_Ew,ew,ew_" Trina gasped, in too much of shock to splutter anything else. She swiped more of the paint from her eyes. Just as her vision got clearer, Jade and Tori appeared from behind the couch. "This- this… _stinks_!"

"You do" Jade agreed, watching as the gloopy paint ran down both sides of Trina's face.

"This was a- a trap!"

"She found us out, Tori" Jade turned to face the Latina as they stood observing Trina from a distance. Tori had forgotten how odd it was to hear Jade speak her name and not as some kind of insult. She pronounced it with all the syllables.

"You know-" Tori could play this too. "I think she did"

"_Ew_!" Trina gasped, drowning in disgust.

"You like the colour?" Tori muffled a laugh at Jade. She knew it was wrong to be making fun of her sister – she knew she'd feel guilty eventually – but it was worth it. Trina got away with everything and it was her turn to get covered in the paint, albeit, literally.

"_Ugh_, you little _ba_-" Trina lunged forward as her words were cut off.

"_Woah_, there. I hope you meant to say _brats_" Jade moved her head from side to side in faux disappointment.

"_This_-" Tori motioned to the paint currently dripping from Trina's hair and head. "-Is for the other night!"

"Just in case you didn't know"

"_I_ _don't remember!_" Trina sounded like she was losing her grip on the situation even more. Tori recoiled when she saw teeth.

"Well, let me rewind" Jade paced beside Tori. "_You_, Shapiro, some caviar, a large bill, _pulling a runner_…"

Trina grew confused. "I didn't _pull_ a runner- I'd think I'd _remember_ his name"

Jade rolled her eyes. "You _ran _out _of _the _restaurant!_"

"_Yeah!_ And left _us _to pay!" Tori added. She couldn't forget the main point. "Do you "remember" _now_?"

Trina gulped, frozen in her paint covered state. She sniffed her hands where the paint had spread to and gagged. "Maybe… I do"

"_Maybe _isn't good enough!" Jade pressed.

"Well… _maybe _I do remember- _maybe_!" Trina had cracked. Tori knew it from the way she was stumbling across the floor. The movement was implicit but she was getting closer towards them.

Tori's eyes moved around, blinking nervously. "_Uhh_… _Jade_?"

The Goth shifted, sharing a quick look with Tori. "_What_? So we let her get away with this? No showdown?"

"Oh there's gonna _be_ a _showdown!_" Trina moved closer and Tori took a step back. Jade, however, wasn't alarmed. She stood with her arms crossed wearing her usual expression.

"_Jade_!" Tori urged, grabbing at the Goth's arm and urging her to move.

"_What?" _

Trina lurched forward and Tori stumbled back against the steps leading up to the stairs. She reached for Jade's arm but ended up with her hand instead.

"You're acting like she's some kind of _monster_" Jade said, rolling her eyes as she watched Tori descend in to worry. She glanced back around to face Trina. The yellow gloop of the paint covered Trina's hair, her forehead and almost her eyes. Jade grew quiet. "I'll say no more"

"_Run!_" Tori pulled Jade by the hand as they stumbled up the stairs backwards.

"_You can't hide!_" Trina chased after them, following them up the stairs.

They crossed the top landing then Tori's room. When they reached her bedroom door, they both leapt through. Tori pushed the door to a close.

Jade's eyes became aware of her surrounds as Trina's knocks thundered against the door. "Open up Tori!"

"Um, _no!_" Tori held the door as she urged Jade to find something to blockade the door with. "_Find_ something! _Anything!_"

Jade's movement wavered.

In the middle of the room stood Tori's bed, to the left of it, a set of drawers with a desk. Her attention was raised to the desk. Tori gasped as she tried to hold the door back against Trina. She heard a bang before Jade appeared at her side. The Goth pushed the desk up against the back of the door.

Tori moved back, taking a deep breath as she inspected the blockade. Her eyes flew open as she turned around to see everything that was on her desk, now scattered across the floor. "I said _find_ something not _destroy _my _entire_ desk!"

Jade shrugged. "It was the only thing I could find! Would you rather have it that she_ gets in_?"

Tori shook her head before running a hand through her hair. "She'll give up eventually"

The door began to shake even more. Trina had obviously heard.

Jade moved closer to the door, tilting her head. "If I was you, I'd want to be washing my hair like, _right now_"

Tori's face clicked. Jade was bargaining.

The knocks gradually slowed down before eventually stopping.

"My hair _needs_ to be nourished!" Trina's voice echoed through the door. "…So I'll be back!"

Jade rolled her eyes as Trina fell for it hook, line and sinker.

A sigh escaped Tori's mouth and she collapsed on to the edge of her bed. Dealing with Trina was as stressful as bargaining with a criminal over the phone in a hostage situation. "I think I'll just lie here for a while" Tori yawned.

Jade turned on her feet, her eyes colliding with Tori as she lay across the bed. She was spread out like a starfish. "So we're just going to _sit around_ while little miss monster is off having a _shower_?"

"It's not _sitting_ around!" Tori opened her eyes. "I'm lying down"

"I don't wanna be hauled up in your room" Jade inched closer towards the door. "This is a perfect time to get out of here before she gets back!"

"We can just climb out the window when she gets back"

"And _how _does that make more sense than escaping while she's _elsewhere_?" Tori went quiet. "So can we get _out_ of here?"

Tori nodded, sitting up as Jade pushed aside the desk from the back of her door with force. They left through the door quickly. Tori heard the hiss of the shower being switched on as they ran past the bathroom.

"Where are we going to _go_?" Tori asked as they moved back into the living room.

"I need to collect some things from my house" Jade paused to admire the- still - swinging old tin of paint above the door before she fumbled for her car keys in her bag.

"Where did you even _learn _to do that?" Tori pointed to the tin of paint strung up by the rope and the contraption.

"I had a babysitter for a day when I was five" Jade's eyes traced around her work, a memory replaying in her mind.

"F-for a _day_?"

"She didn't come back"

…

"Don't speak and don't touch _anything_" That was Jade's instruction to Tori as they took the careful steps up to Jade's front door. Tori's eyes explored the outdoor façade. She had only ever seen Jade's house from the outside but she noticed that it was much like her own, only it had a smaller front porch.

Tori watched as Jade unlocked the front door with a key before stepping through.

"What're you picking up anyway?"

Jade groaned as Tori realised that she wasn't meant to speak. The door shut with a slam and Tori watched Jade slide through the living room. With reluctance, she replied. "_Stuff_"

"Stuff as in… _clothes_?"

"_Stuff_"

"Is your Mom out?" Tori looked around but it was obvious that she was.

"_Stop asking questions_" Jade moved up the stairs.

"Can I-"

"_No!_"

Tori froze, watching as Jade ascended the stairs. She decided to stay in the living room while Jade got her things. Tori's eyes scanned around the living room. It was similar to her own house except that the kitchen was in a different room and the colour scheme was darker.

Knowing Jade, she probably had an input on it.

"Don't touch anything!" Jade's voice echoed from upstairs and Tori face flickered with a smile.

"I'm not touching _anything_!" Tori defended, turning on her feet. She decided to sit down on the couch before she did break anything.

_tbc_


End file.
